With a very Van der Poel friendly parcours at the Tour this year, Wuyts can see only Pogacar being able to prevent the
Alpecin-Deceuninck leader from starring with multiple stage victories. “Who can stay with Van der Poel at his best on a tough finish with steep kickers? One man: Tadej Pogacar," he explains.
As mentioned already though, Wuyts also foresees the pair working together for their mutual benefit. "Of course, those two will work together. Two super talents, natural allies with mutual respect,” he says. “Remember these names — Boulogne-sur-Mer, Rouen, Vire Normandie, Mûr-de-Bretagne. Tension will be sky-high; gaps will open.”
As for Wuyts' Belgian compatriots,
Remco Evenepoel is the man best placed to challenge for the overall victory. “Stage five is a gently undulating time trial in Caen, made for aerodynamic powerhouses. Who can keep Remco Evenepoel out of yellow there?” Wuyts questions. “Maybe he (Van der Poel ed.) can. He’ll have picked up bonus seconds in the punchy finishes beforehand. He’s also been putting work into his time trialling. Pulling off the unexpected is Van der Poel’s trademark. But let’s be honest — keeping Evenepoel out of yellow? We don’t see it happening.”