“I do feel that there is a kind of momentum” - Tadej Pogacar growing in confidence as Tour de France reaches first rest day

As expected, Tadej Pogacar has lit up the first portion of the 2023 Tour de France. On almost every stage, the Slovenian has been front and centre of all the excitement and Pogacar's confidence is also growing as we reach the first rest day.

“I do feel that there is a kind of momentum,” the leader of the UAE Team Emirates squad told Het Laatste Nieuws during the rest day. "Mostly I feel good. Today's rest does me good and I'm also ready to go at it again tomorrow. I am very happy with how the Tour has gone so far and I also feel better every day."

Having come into the Tour de France somewhat undercooked after a lack of racing since his crash at Liege-Bastogne-Liege, the worry for overall race leader Jonas Vingegaard and his Jumbo-Visma team is that Pogacar is hoping to reach his peak in the second and third weeks of racing.

"In the last week I should normally be better than in the first. My base was good in the spring and that should not be completely gone. You never know for sure, but normally I should get better towards the last part," he declares. "I love the rides in the Alps, I've already started exploring them. Every year I get better in the longer climbs, but we will have to wait and see.”

The first week hasn't been totally positive for Pogacar however, with the former two-time leader entering the rest day second in the general classification, 17 seconds behind his arch-rival, Vingegaard.

“I was especially surprised that I lost time on the Col de Marie Blanque, because I knew I was good. But I shouldn't be surprised about my latest achievements. I know myself well enough," he concludes. "I also think the battle with Jonas is very nice. Last year we already had one of the best editions of the Tour and this year a lot happened in the first week as well. That is only good for the sport.”