"A route like this suits Vingegaard well, but I think it's even better for Pogacar" - Former Tour de France winner gives advantage to UAE for 2025

The official route and profiles of the 2025 Tour de France were revealed earlier this week and it hasn't taken long for the cycling world to start debating: Who does it better suit, Tadej Pogacar or Jonas Vingegaard? It the opinion of one former Maillot Jaune winner, it's advantage to UAE Team Emirates.

"If you look at it from Vingegaard's and Pogacar's perspective, you have to say that a route like this suits Vingegaard well, but I actually think that next year is even better for Tadej Pogacar," explains the 1996 Tour de France winner and Vingegaard's Danish compatriot Bjarne Riis in his post-reveal analysis for the Danish outlet BT.

Although historically, Vingegaard has had the advantage over Pogacar in the high mountains, Riis believes the Slovenian UAE Team Emirates leader has improved so much that he is now every bit as purer climber as Vingegaard. "Pogacar has improved so much this year, and now the high mountains are not only to Vingegaard's advantage, but just as much to Pogacar's. The first part of the race with many puncheur stages suits Pogacar reasonably well, and if he rides like this year, it almost doesn't matter how good Jonas is," notes Riis. "He is so versatile, and I think that many of the stages suit him better than Jonas."

Nevertheless, Riis is feeling his excitement growing for the 2025 Tour de France having seen the official reveal of the parcours. "I think it's a nice route. I think there is a good balance in it this year, giving opportunities to both sprinters, puncheurs and breakaways," the 60-year-old Dane concludes. "Maybe the race won't be so easy to control."

According to Visma sources, Vingegaard himself is 'happy' with the route and qill enter the 2025 campaign with full focus for the French Grand Tour. Pogacar meanwhile previewed the course by saying: "I think it'll be brutal."