Most people wouldn’t expect to find a preview of the Tour de France on a tech website, but here we are. Cycling is a big passion of mine, and I’m excited to talk about this year’s race, which promises to be full of excitement. The race kicks off on Saturday in Tuscany, Italy, and there’s a lot of uncertainty surrounding the event this year. Normally, there’s a clear favorite to win, but due to various factors like rider schedules and new contenders, it’s anyone’s game.
For those unfamiliar with professional road cycling, there’s a great series on Netflix called Unchained that can help you get up to speed. The recently released second season covers last year’s Tour de France and introduces you to the key players in this year’s race. If you’re intrigued by this article, I recommend checking it out.
Now, let’s talk about the four main contenders for this year’s Tour de France, starting with the most likely to win.
Tadej Poga?ar is a 25-year-old cyclist from Slovenia who rides for UAE Team Emirates. He made a name for himself in 2019 by finishing third in the Vuelta a España at just 20 years old. Poga?ar then went on to win the 2020 and 2021 Tours de France, establishing himself as a dominant force in the sport. However, in 2022, his teammate Jonas Vingegaard emerged as a strong competitor and won the next two races. Vingegaard even beat Poga?ar by a significant margin in last year’s Tour de France, proving himself as a better climber and time trialist.
This year, Poga?ar changed his approach by competing in the Giro d’Italia in May instead of focusing solely on the Tour de France. Many believe he did this to avoid facing Vingegaard directly in France, as there’s a short five-week gap between the two races, making it challenging for riders to peak twice. Poga?ar dominated the Giro and won by a large margin, indicating that he’s in good form heading into the Tour, but possibly not at his absolute best.
Despite this, Poga?ar is still considered the favorite to win the Tour de France this year, but the competition is fierce, and anything can happen. The unpredictability of this year’s race is what makes it so exciting for fans and riders alike. It will be interesting to see how Poga?ar performs against his rivals and whether he can secure another victory in this prestigious event.
