Jumbo-Visma: "Last year in Tirreno-Adriatico he had no chance against Tadej there... But who finally won in July?"

Jonas Vingegaard has seen himself in a battle with Tadej Pogacar at this edition of the Paris-Nice, as a warm-up for the Tour de France. However as Pogacar takes a commanding victory over his rival, Jumbo-Visma shrug off the responsibility.

On the fourth stage to La Loge des Gardes Vingegaard tried following Pogacar at all cost, eventually blowing himself up in the process, finishing the stage disappointed. "Naturally. He started with high ambitions, but ran into himself a bit," team DS Grischa Niermann told Het Nieuwsblad. "It was one and a half kilometers from the finish. He went over his limit and paid in cash. There was one better, nothing wrong with that. That is also cycling.”

That day marked the first true clash between the two since the Tour de France. Currently they sit first and third in the overall classification, but today's long summit finish at the Col de la Couillole should balance things slightly as Vingegaard is a man of the high mountains.

“I slept well the past few nights, you know. We can be absolutely satisfied with the condition of Jonas. He has a solid foundation, he already proved that in O Gran Camiño. The main goal remains the Tour de France. That does not alter the fact that he also wants to perform well in other competitions," he continues. "That's why he doesn't hang his head here."

“But will he be beaten by Pogacar? So be it. That also happened last year in Tirreno-Adriatico he had no chance against Tadej there... But who finally won in July?” Niermann concluded, with a sign of what is the priority for the Dutch team.