"The Tour is a different story completely" - Pogacar plays down pre-Tour dominance from Jumbo-Visma

Tadej Pogacar will go into the Tour de France as a defending champion of the last two editions, but he will face competition from Jumbo-Visma once again, competition perhaps that is superior to any team he's faced in the past.

“I’ve been off for the last two months. But I’m happy to be racing again in one of the most beautiful countries in the world," Pogacar said in a pre-race conference at the Tour of Slovenia where he will be racing this week.

Last year Pogacar opted for an alternative path into the Tour de France via his home race, and this year he will repeat the preparation. He explains why: "I don’t need seven days or nine days of racing before the Tour. I focused on my training to do my home race, to have fun here and go relax before the Tour."

However, he adds that "for sure in the future also Dauphine or Swiss will come on my calendar." Pogacar will be the clear favourite to take the overall win, as he has last year. “The UAE team is very strong and it wants to be and stay on the top of all the races. In three weeks’ time we will go to the Tour de France and that is the most important event. But this is an exceptional opportunity to prepare for the Tour de France…and our goal is to win," he said.

On the back of his head, and in the questions of every reporter, will be Jumbo-Visma and their dominance at the Critérium du Dauphiné. “Jumbo showed that they are really strong. Jonas and Primož they went really, really strong on the climbs. For sure it was some sort of statement, some reference," Pogacar had to say.

In the coming month the trio will race for the first time together in 2022, and they will be the three main favourites for the overall win. "But I’m not surprised. It’s what’s expected. For sure they will watch also Tour of Slovenia and their competitors here. But. The Tour is a different story completely," Pogacar was keen to point out.