"We go all out everywhere, in our own way" - Jonas Vingegaard prepared to defeat Tadej Pogacar in all terrains

Jonas Vingegaard is likely Tadej Pogacar's biggest rival currently, and at Paris-Nice he's prepared for a battle. As seen by stage 1, he is aware that battle is likely to take place over all types of terrain.

“If I want to win here, which is the intention because I have made Paris-Nice one of my big season goals, I will have to beat him," Pogacar told Het Laatste Nieuws. "It's going to be a nice week. Pogačar is a strong rider, which always makes it fun to race with and against him. We both like to race and win, Tadej and I. So we go all out everywhere, in our own way.”

On the opening day of the race Pogacar sprinted for bonus seconds, and attempted to surprise in the end. Far from the mountains, the crosswinds and the time-trials, the Slovenian has still tried. Vingegaard is not as complete of a rider, but he knows that he will have to go through many different challenges to match - and beat - the UAE Team Emirates rider.

“Of course it can inspire confidence. But whether you win here or not, whether you are good or bad: that says nothing about your level of form later in July. The Tour is also something different than a one-week stage race. By the way, I don't think it will be just between me and Tadej (in Paris-Nice, ed.). INEOS Grenadiers, for example, also brings a strong team with strong riders to the start," he continues.

"I don't know if I like that. It is different racing, very stressful. But I trust my strong team in that regard. The goal is to gain some time on the competition in the team time trial," he continued.

Despite not having anywhere near the same support as he did at the Tour, he's hoping the race is decided in the mountains, specially the queen stage of the Col de la Couillole. "That's where my strength lies, we established during the altitude training sessions."

Having beaten Pogacar at Hautacam last year, Vingegaard describes how the switch was flipped there: “That completely changed my mindset, yes. From the doomsday thought that I will never be able to unleash him uphill to the realization that I do succeed every now and then," he concluded.