Rivalry recap
Tadej Pogacar, the Slovenian superstar, seemed poised for
unchallenged supremacy after his consecutive
Tour de France victories in 2020
and 2021.
However, the emergence of Danish cyclist Jonas Vingegaard
introduced an unexpected but welcome challenger. In 2022, Vingegaard dethroned
Pogacar at the Tour de France, a feat he replicated in 2023, and after that
2023 win it looked the like the power was very much with the Dane and Visma.
But, the dynamic shifted once more in 2024 when Pogacar
achieved perhaps cycling’s greatest-ever season with the Triple Crown,
clinching victories at the Giro d'Italia, Tour de France, and the World
Championships. He won 12 grand tour stages last year, as well as 2
monuments!
So, in terms of yellow jerseys won, the score is now 3-2 to
Pogacar.
But that doesn’t tell the full story. In 2023, Pogacar was
not at full strength at the Tour after a crash in the spring. The roles were
then reversed in 2024, and Vingegaard had a horrible preparation for
the Tour.
Will 2025 be the first time since 2022 we see both men at
full strength again?
Tadej Pogacar’s first week of 2025
Pogacar began his 2025 season at the UAE Tour last week, a
race he has previously dominated and his team’s home race.
Demonstrating impeccable form, he secured his third overall
victory in this event and picked up exactly where he left off in 2024. The
race's defining moment occurred on the Jebel Hafeet ascent during Stage 7,
where Pogacar launched a decisive attack, leaving his competitors in his wake.
This performance not only secured the stage win but also
secured his position as the general classification leader. Earlier in the tour,
the Slovenian had already shown his climbing strength on Stage 3 at Jebel Jais,
executing a well-timed surge in the final meters to claim victory. Beyond his
stage wins, Pogacar had time for some fun on Stage 5, where he joined an
unexpected breakaway on a flat stage.
So, not only was Pogacar in winning form in the UAE last
week, he was so comfortable that he even had time to mess around in the breakaway!
Jonas Vingegaard's first week of 2025
Jonas Vingegaard also began his season last week, with the
Dane getting thing underway at the Volta ao Algarve. It has to be said that
Vingegaard’s season opener was slightly less comfy than Pogacar’s, but more
impressive in different ways too.
During Stage 2's ascent of Alto da Foia, Vingegaard finished
sixth, a result that left him reflecting on missed opportunities and had some
fans questioning his form. Undeterred, Vingegaard delivered a masterclass in
time-trailing on the final day to silence his doubters quickly. Covering the
19.6 km course in 28 minutes and 25 seconds, he not only clinched the stage
victory but also snatched the GC win on the final day.
Vingegaard’s win at the Volta ao Algarve also sparked murmurs
of a change in his set up, including the adoption of
150mm crank arms and a strange
new saddle. Are these the keys to defeating Pogacar?
What comes next?
The next phases of the calendars of Pogacar and Vingegaard
highlight their distinct differences in their strategic approaches. Pogacar's
calendar is filled with one-day classics, as he aims to add victory after
victory to his cycling CV.
His upcoming races include Strade Bianche, Milano-Sanremo
(the race he is most desperate to win), and the E3 Saxo Classic and the Tour of
Flanders, followed by appearances in the Ardennes classics such as Amstel Gold
Race and Liège-Bastogne-Liège.
Tadej Pogacar will once again go in search of Milano-Sanremo glory
In contrast, Vingegaard's focus remains solely on stage
races, with his eyes set on the Tour de France. His preparatory races include
Paris-Nice, Volta a Catalunya, and the Critérium du Dauphiné, so cycling fans
will have to wait some more time to see the Dane target a classic.
Their might be some good news for Vingegaard fans however.
Remember, the last time Pogacar had such an intense classics season was in
2023, and that was the last time Vingegaard came out on top…
How to their openers shape up to previous years?
Analyzing their previous season debuts will give us an
insight into whether they have similar form to previous years. Pogacar is well
known for his strong stars; in 2024, he launched his season with a remarkable
80 km solo victory at Strade Bianche that ultimately foreshadowed his season of
ridiculous solo victories.
The preceding years saw him clinch titles at the UAE Tour
(2022) and the Clásica Jaén Paraíso Interior (2023). Remarkably, one must look
back all the way to 2019, when he finished 13th at the Tour Down Under, to find
a season where he didn't secure an opening race victory.
Vingegaard has also had strong season openers. His 2023 and
2024 seasons commenced with dominant performances at O Gran Camiño, where he
secured multiple stage wins and the overall title. However, 2022 presented a
modest start, with a 33rd place finish at the Classic de l'Ardèche.
When will they first face off?
Fans eagerly await the first direct confrontation between
these two titans in 2025, as we have not seen them compete since the final
stage time trial at the Tour last July.
Current schedules indicate that their inaugural face-off
will occur at the Critérium du Dauphiné in June, a critical prep race for the
Tour de France. But who will be in better shape by then?
So, it’s still a long few months ahead before battle
commences between the sport’s best two GC riders. For now, we’ll have to make
do with watching the duo sharpen their tools and prepare for battle as all
roads points towards France.