Tour de France: ‘Definitely doable’ - Jan Ullrich backs ‘Merckx of our time’ Tadej Pogacar to achieve Giro-Tour double
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Published 27/06/2024 at 13:23 GMT
Former Tour de France winner Jan Ullrich believes Tadej Pogacar can win the Giro-Tour double - but thinks the race has come too soon for Jonas Vingegaard, who has not competed since a serious crash at the Itzulia Basque Country in April. Ullrich has described Pogacar as the "Eddy Merckx of our time" but warned that fellow Slovenian Primoz Roglic could be a threat.
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Former Tour de France winner Jan Ullrich has described Tadej Pogacar as the “Eddy Merckx of our time” and believes the Slovenian can win a third yellow jersey - backing up his Giro d’Italia win last month.
But the German believes the most prestigious race in the cycling calendar has come too soon for Jonas Vingegaard, who will be making his comeback from a serious crash that he was caught up in at the Itzulia Basque Country in April.
Denmark’s champion from the past two Tours has been in full training after recovering from a punctured lung, broken collarbone and fractured rubs, but Ullrich does not believe he has had long enough to seriously compete at the Tour, which starts on Saturday in Florence.
“I don't think he can challenge for victory after this long absence,” Ullrich told Eurosport Germany.
“His team said beforehand that he would only start when he was in top shape. But he has four or five weeks of training left, and so I don't think he can challenge.
“Nevertheless, he can certainly ride a good race and would not be nominated if he wasn't in good shape.”
Pogacar is the man in form, having cruised to overall victory by almost 10 minutes at the Giro. Ullrich believes the UAE Team Emirates rider is the overwhelming favourite and on course to add to his titles from 2020 and 2021.
“He said he wasn't in top form yet and had ridden more from training. I'm excited to see what he shows when he's really in top form,” said Ullrich.
“Pogacar knows that the Tour de France is particularly difficult in the last week this time and has therefore had to be a little cautious. But with Vingegaard coming back from an injury break, it's definitely doable.
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“He brings a certain lightness to cycling, smiles and is always in a good mood. He attacks in situations where nobody expects him and wants one thing above all - to race.
“When I once asked him where there is a good place to go out in Monte Carlo - where he lives with his girlfriend - he said: "I don't know, because I'm always on my bike when I'm there."
“The boy just wants to ride a bike because he enjoys it. For me he is the Eddy Merckx of our time.”
Ullrich says Pogacar will not have it all his own way though, tipping Remco Evenepoel and in particular Primoz Roglic to push his fellow Slovenian.
“Roglic has recently shown that he is in very good form - he was also in the altitude training camp again. The chance is definitely there,” he said.
“He has also already won the Giro and the Vuelta. But that also applies to Vingegaard and Pogacar, despite their younger age.
“There were positive experiences, such as several Grand Tour victories, and also negative experiences, such as Pogacar's slump last year. That is also an important experience.
“At least he [Pogacar] knows how important it is to conserve his energy. But it will be difficult to control him. That will be one of the tasks of team management.
"On the other hand, we want to see the attacks. As a fan, you hope for that.”
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