Tadej Pogacar sans crainte au départ du Tour de France 2022 : “On se fait confiance, ça aide à être relax”

• Watch the Tour de France live on Eurosport starting on Friday

“I don’t think about history that much, almost not at all.”, replied the double title holder, when he was asked about the prospect of integrating the caste of the triple winners of the Grande Boucle. His preparation wasgood, not very different from last year“.”I may even be a little more confident“, warns Pogacar, who has just won his National Tour… as in 2021.

His versatility can allow him to wait for the high mountains to hit, as well as to take advantage of a lead cut for classic specialists. But for him, there is no debate about the appropriate moment to reveal himself: “The first week is difficult, with possibilities of curbs, cobblestones, the bridge… but we are a very strong, united team, we do not need to be aggressive or defensive.”

“We just gotta be in the right place and we’re ready for it“, summed up Pogacar. This first week, Rafal Majka could be of invaluable support to him. Their complicity, striking during the Tour of Slovenia, was further illustrated on Thursday. When the Polish climber, present during of this press briefing, compared the time he spends with his wife and the time he shares with his leader, the two men laughed heartily.

Pogacar-Vingegaard, from laughter to tears

It was with a majestic time trial that Pogacar shocked the world of cycling and conquered his first Tour de France, in 2020. From the 1st stage, he could be expected on the podium, hence a calm d all the more disarming. “I have important people around me, among my team, my friends, a good environment that doesn’t put pressure on me. We trust each other, it helps to be relaxed before the biggest race in the world”he explains.

As for this first round of 13.2 kilometers, he does not approach it as a favourite, even if he is not afraid to take control too early – “you never say no to the yellow jersey”: “I don’t think not be able (to win the time, editor’s note), I will do my best, each time for me is a different story. As each Tour begins with a blank page. But Pogacar has always written the victorious epilogue, in two essays.