Tadej Pogacar got through the opening stage of the 2025 Tour
de France without incident, staying alert when Jonas Vingegaard and Team Visma
split the peloton in the final 20 kilometers. While rivals Remco Evenepoel and
Primoz Roglic were caught out and dropped time, Pogacar was right where he
needed to be.
Still, not everyone is entirely convinced. Allan Peiper,
Pogacar’s former team manager, expressed some concern over the defending
champion’s mindset heading into the race.
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"We don't really speak, but we send a message every few
weeks," Peiper told De Avondetappe. "Then it's not about the race. I
tell him what I'm doing in my life, and he tells me about what he's doing. I
recently wished him luck in the Tour de France and told him how great our time
was. He wasn't that well-known yet, but now he's in such high demand."
Peiper praised Pogacar's character off the bike, saying,
"He is very sweet, very attentive. You see it on television that he gives
his time to children and other people. That's who he is. He is a very friendly
person and never says a bad word about anyone. He can be free from hustle and
bustle and that also gives him a certain calm in the race. He wants to have
fun, because that is part of him. Without that he cannot function."
But when it comes to the race itself, Peiper voiced a note
of caution.
"His weak point is overconfidence. That worries me a
bit. How he lost three years ago... And actually even two years ago after he
broke his wrist. I thought he and his team would start with restraint, but they
started riding right from the start."
Peiper also pointed to Team Visma’s tactical approach:
"And I know those Dutch people (from Team Visma | Lease a Bike)... They
are very cunning and smart. They wait day by day to strike. I am a bit reserved
in that respect."
Looking ahead, Peiper expects a tight fight between the two
favorites. "He rode a great spring, but something in me says that
Vingegaard is waiting. That Vingegaard has a full tank, and I wonder how much
Pogacar has in his tank. The most important thing is how much you have in your
tank in the final week."
With summit finishes on Hautacam, Mont Ventoux, and Col de
la Loze still to come, Peiper believes the terrain may favor Vingegaard. But he
also acknowledged the form of both riders heading into the race.
"There will be a battle of the titans and let's hope
that no one gets unlucky, because that would be a shame for the Tour. For me it
is 50/50 at the moment."
Fin MajorCycling Journalist
Fin Major is a UK-based writer at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2024. He is the site’s main writer for FAQs and evergreen explainers and has written around 2,000 pieces for the platform. Alongside this work, he focuses on in-depth analysis and covers the biggest races on the calendar, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, providing clear context around performance trends, tactics, and key storylines.
In his reporting, Fin uses reputable data sources such as ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. Outside of writing, Fin is an active cyclist, which supports his practical understanding of the sport and its demands.
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