"With Tadej Pogačar, it’s over" - Romain Bardet admits that winning Tour de France is no longer on his mind

The level within pro cycling has been increasing over the last few years, and perhaps most noticeably is how the level in the Grand Tours has become, specially in the Tour de France as new talents like Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard emerged. Romain Bardet has kept his level through the years but admits his ambitions are no longer of winning the Grand Boucle.

“In fact, I don't even think about it anymore. I don't think about winning the Tour de France anymore," Bardet shared in an interview with L'Équipe. “Last year, I thought about it during the Giro, I felt I could win. But in the Tour, I am no longer among the favourites, that's obvious. With Jai Hindley and Richard Carapaz, I know I can beat them when I'm on top form."

Having found a new breath of motivation with Team DSM, Bardet has had his Grand Tour ambitions renewed in recent years. He's ridden to seventh at the 2021 Giro, as well as sixth on the 2022 Tour, however in both showing performances close to big victories. He talks of having a level superior to that that has seen him finish on the podium in the mid-2010's, but unable to obtain the same results.

“But with Tadej Pogačar, it’s over. It's as simple as that. If one day I manage to drop him in the high mountains in the Tour, so much the better, but it’s not a fixed idea," he continues. The Frenchman has indeed dropped Pogacar at the Col du Granon last summer as he rode to second on the decisive stage, but in the overall classification he could not match the Slovenian.

As Pogacar and Vingegaard once again aim for victory at the Tour de France this year, Bardet talks of what should be the most realistic objective he can target: “The podium, if possible: I’ve been sixth three times, but nobody cares about that," the Frenchman concluded.

Bardet sits in eight position at the Tour des Alpes Maritimes et du Var, with the queen stage to be held tomorrow where the Team DSM rider has the best chances of striking.