Pogacar doesn't understand Evenepoel's choice: "If I were him, I would go to the Tour de France"

In early July, it's time for the Tour de France, which starts in the Spanish city of Bilbao. There is currently one question surrounding 'La Grande Boucle' that stands out: will Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) have recovered in time to compete for the overall victory? On Friday, June 2nd, there was a press event with the Slovenian powerhouse, in which IDLProCycling.com also participated!

After his crash in the Liège-Bastogne-Liège race, won by Remco Evenepoel, Pogacar had to undergo a long rehabilitation process. In the first four weeks following his crash, which resulted in a wrist fracture, he had to train on rollers. It is the first time in his career that he faces such a setback while working towards a major goal. However, the usually cheerful all-rounder doesn't seem too concerned about his mental and physical condition. He says, "I feel really good. Normally, I would have had a week off after Liège-Bastogne-Liège, so I just relaxed at home. Besides, you don't need your wrists to train your legs. So, I don't consider it a setback but an unfortunate situation. I think I can even gain a lot from it."

Pogacar then reveals that he has frequently visited the physiotherapist during his time off training on the rollers. "We are still waiting for the CT scan results, but otherwise, I'm really looking forward to training outdoors again, going at full throttle. I'm really excited about the Tour. Whether it goes well or not, I'm going to enjoy it anyway." In that regard, there are still some doubts surrounding Pogi's June preparation program. He says, "We're waiting for the results, but I expect to participate in the national championships in Slovenia. That's already two race days. I also anticipate doing some high-speed training behind the motorbike, as a sort of race simulation."

"I like this much better than starting with a few flat stages," Pogacar states regarding the challenging Tour de France opening week

There is a strong likelihood that, like in 2022, a battle between Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma) will once again unfold in the Tour de France. This year's edition of the French stage race is characterized by a challenging opening week with several difficult stages, where differences between the general classification contenders can immediately arise. Despite still being in recovery, Pogacar is actually thrilled about the difficult start. "The first stages are really beautiful. They are super tough, but I like this much better than starting with a few flat stages. It allows you to immediately see who is in form. Moreover, it is less stressful, so that's also nice."

Shortly before the online press conference with Pogacar took place, Evenepoel announced that he will participate in the Tour of Switzerland but skip the Tour de France. When asked for his reaction to the choice made by 'the Cannibal of Schepdaal,' 24-year-old Pogacar, originally from Komenda, responds somewhat hesitantly. "He left the Giro, where he would have normally competed for the victory. He is the world champion. If I were him, I would participate in the Tour de France," he asserts.

"But everyone is different, and everyone makes different decisions. I would be very happy if he starts the race. The same goes for Primoz Roglic," he says, also referring to the fact that his fellow countryman is not heading to the most popular cycling race in the world. "But Jumbo-Visma has an absolute leader in Jonas. Maybe this is ideal for them. They could also send Primoz to the Vuelta," the two-time Tour winner suggests.