Soler sharpens the knives for Pogacar and UAE ahead of the Col de la Loze: "A perfect moment to take revenge!"

For memory's sake, let's go back to July 19, 2023. Pogacar had suffered a major blow the day before in the time trial from Passy to Combloux, losing significant time to Jonas Vingegaard and falling 1:48 behind in the GC. Then came stage 17, from Saint-Gervais Mont Blanc to Courchevel, where everything fell apart. Pogacar cracked on the Col de la Loze like never before, effectively ending his Tour dreams.

“It was a tough day, physically and mentally,” Soler recalls in conversation with Wieler Revue. “Especially after the defeat in the time trial against Vingegaard the day before. I did everything I could to still motivate him, but it didn't work anymore. I said he could also win with one second difference and it wouldn't just come down to this day, but the Col de la Loze is so tough."

Even though the route is slightly different this year, Marc Soler knows exactly what’s coming on July 24. “This year we’re climbing it from the other side, but still, we’re returning to the mountain where it all went wrong two years ago.” UAE Team Emirates isn’t shedding any more tears over that day. In fact, they’ve found a way to laugh about it. “We still joke about it sometimes. Especially about the face I supposedly made while trying to motivate him,” Soler says. “It’s become a bit of an anecdote. But this year, we want to prove we can win on the Col de la Loze. It’s the perfect chance for revenge!”

In any case, the preparation will not be a problem, as Pogacar seems to be in good shape. Soler sees the class of his Slovenian teammate: "There has never been anyone who could beat him at training camp since I have been riding for the team. He has always been slightly better than the rest all these years."

And that still feels a bit like a flashback for Soler. "To be honest, I feel a bit the same as I did in my time with Movistar. Nobody could ever win from Valverde either. The big difference is that Tadej is even better than Valverde and can be used in all races. Whether it is a race of one day, one week or three weeks... Whether it is in the mountains, on cobblestones or on the flat. He is the best in almost everything," the Spaniard said.