Pogacar’s left hand went looking for Vingegaard’s right hand. The two extremities, that of the Slovenian without a glove, that of the Dane with protection, intertwined. They were the white jersey and the yellow jersey of the 2022 Tour, second and first classified, respectively. The image was taken down the Col de Spandelles, in the Pyrenees, and the gesture of sportsmanship between the two contenders was applauded in the press room. It was also the moment in which Pogacar recognized his defeat. Hautacam and the time trial of the penultimate day were still to come, but the head of the UAE, who had just fallen and was awaited by the Jumbo leader, understood that he would capitulate after two victories in a row in Paris: Vingegaard and Van Aert were not going to show mercy, as That’s how it went.
The two best cyclists of the moment for stage races – the delimitation proceeds – are rivals but not enemies. They duel but congratulate each other, respect each other and give each other feedback.
Nothing to do with other cycling antagonisms. Not like Anquetil and Poulidor, who neither wanted to let the other pass, nor give up a meter and ended up paired, pushing shoulder to shoulder, climbing the Puy de Dôme in 1964, a volcano that returns this year. They don’t sting like Ocaña with Merckx. “Either I bury him or he buries me,” said the Spaniard from Mont de Marsan, origin of the seventh stage, a persistent fighter, irreverent with the Belgian’s dominance. He could not beat him in 1971 due to a fall, but he is celebrating his half century of the Tour, without Merckx in the running, yes.
Vingegaard and Pogacar are not the same as them. Perhaps because they can share the calendar and the loot and only face each other at certain times. Or maybe because the right sparks haven’t jumped yet. Who knows if even, due to personality, the labels that have been hung on them are already going well for them. The colder Dane can walk away from the spotlight without caring that there are those who consider his 2022 victory a caveat. The Slovenian, more Latin, feels comfortable with the attention, seems to enjoy being in the center of the hurricane and that the pressure is a game for him.
Since the presentation of the teams, in front of the Guggenheim, some differences have already been seen. The Jumbo-Visma climbed onto the dais, and Vingegaard was the shortest of the eight riders. He is almost puny compared to his colleagues, always focused, little friend of trust and externalizing joy. Sometimes it even seems that he appreciates having to wear the mask.
But from this Saturday in Bilbao he will not be able to hide anymore. The last two Tours (2nd in 2021, 1st in 2022) he ran covered, sheltered by Roglic, camouflaged as an alternative, taking advantage of his bicephaly. This time his number gives him away: he is number 1 and there is no doubt about it. They have signed Van Baarle and Kelderman to clothe him as new luxury domestiques.
A few minutes before, Pogacar appeared with the rest of the UAE. Wearing a txapela on his head, the Slovenian is a walking smile. “Kaixo Bilbao, Aúpa Athletic, Gora Euskadi”, he is encouraged to greet with the microphone. He gets carried away, naughty. It must not be forgotten that he moves in an environment with a lot of Basque. The manager Joxean Matxín, the doctor from Vitoria Iñigo San Millán and the masseur Joseba Elguezabal are the ones who know him best.
The stability of the Jumbo contrasts with the constant nonconformity of the Emirates team. Only the Danish Laengen repeats for the fourth time among his seven squires, of seven different nationalities – eight counting his own. Adam Yates, Grossschartner and Trentin make their debut, McNulty, Hirschi and Bennett fall and Marc Soler remains.
A year ago they shook hands, Pogacar recognized his superiority, physical and tactical, but this 2023, soon, he already made him bite the dust in Paris-Nice, in the Loge des Gardes and the Col de la Couillole, two finals aloft. But then came the fall in Liège, the operation on his left wrist, the splint and he has barely competed for two days since then. Meanwhile, Vingegaard was fine-tuning himself. He earned the respect of everyone in Itzulia and scared the Dauphiné. The two musketeers pick up where they left off. Third round.
