"He is the Eddy Merckx of our time” - Jan Ullrich backs Tadej Pogacar to blow Jonas Vingegaard away at 2024 Tour de France

Chapter 4 in the Tour de France rivalry of Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard is one with arguably more intrigue than any previous. The introduction of extra characters to the fold such as Primoz Roglic and Remco Evenepoel adds spice, but the uncertainty of Vingegaard's condition following his horror crash earlier this year, mean no one truly knows what to expect.

A man who knows all about winning the Tour de France however, is Jan Ullrich. Speaking to Eurosport, the German, who will be covering the race in part for the channel, detailed his pre-race opinions on the big challengers for the Maillot Jaune by the time the race concludes next month in Nice.

“I don't think he can challenge for victory after this long absence,” Ullrich begins, taking a look over Jonas Vingegaard's hopes of making it three Tour de France wins on the bounce. “His team said beforehand that he would only start when he was in top shape. But 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.”

“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,” the German continues. “He has also already won the Giro and the Vuelta. But that also applies to Vingegaard and Pogacar, despite their younger age."

Despite seeing positives in Vingegaard and Roglic, Ullrich cannot see past Pogacar for the eventual Maillot Jaune victory. “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," Ullrich analyses. “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,” the German concludes with some high praise. "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.”