UAE send warning to rivals: "We are not afraid of Jonas Vingegaard, we are not afraid of anyone"

With the Giro d'Italia now firmly in the rear-view mirror, all eyes are turning towards the 2025 Tour de France. In the traditional pre-Tour preparation race at the Criterium du Dauphine, the all-star trio of Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard and Remco Evenepoel are set to do battle and it's fair to say that the former's UAE Team Emirates - XRG are full of confidence.

"We are sticking to our plan, which we believe is the right one. We are definitely aware that Vingegaard and Evenepoel will be at the highest level in the Tour, but we will be too," an optimistic UAE Team Emirates - XRG sports director Andrej Hauptman previews in conversation with RTVSlo, ahead of the Criterium du Dauphine. "We are not afraid of Vingegaard, we are not afraid of anyone."

"The Dauphiné will be a real test for the Tour de France with the same organiser and similar competition," continues the DS. "Tadej will definitely be at a top level there, we are used to him being in top shape all season. We will see where we are, and then add the finishing touches with his altitude training camp."

Already this year, Pogacar has shown his strong form is not slowing down any time soon, taking the win at the UAE Tour, Strade Bianche, the Tour of Flanders, La Fleche Wallonne and Liege-Bastogne-Liege. The Tour de France is a different kind of challenge than the one presented in the Spring Classics however, with riders tasked with keeping form and keeping safe over three weeks.

"Every three-week race is brutal, but the biggest difference is created by the riders themselves. In the Tour, in particular, the competition is at its highest, and the pressure is massive," analyses Hauptman. "The first week in northern France could be very nervous, and we'll have to be very careful. Having a strong team to handle all those stages will be important."

"There are quite a few climbs where Tadej has not yet won, including the Col de la Loze," Hauptman concludes, excited about the route presented by the Tour in 2025. "That will definitely be extra motivation for him."