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In the midst of one of the most thrilling battles for the yellow jersey in recent times, the route for the 2023 edition of the Tour will likely provide some more surprises ahead of Monday morning's (AEST) finish on the Champs-Élysées.
While the French Tour often starts with a time trial early in the race, organisers shook up the route for its 110th instalment with an early entry into the Pyrenees on Stage 5, followed by a gruelling three-consecutive mountain stages before the Tour's second rest day, leaving the race's only time-trial to fall on Stage 16.
There will be little respite for the sprinters on the final week with two more days to come in the mountains - Wednesday's (AEST) 166-kilometre route which includes the Col de la Loze (28.1km at six per cent) climb near the finish, and a 133-kilometre route with five mid-stage climbs which looks to inspire aggressive racing on the penultimate day.
The challenging end to the three-week race should set the scene for the continuing battle between GC hopefuls Vingegaard and Pogacar, with the Slovenian looking to avenge his defeat from last year's Tour at the hands of his Danish rival.
Pogacar trails Vingegaard by only 10 seconds ahead of the Stage 16 time trial.
“Last year [at the second rest day] I was far behind and maybe wanting too much. This year is more controlled,” Pogacar said.
“I am not so far behind time-wise this time, so I’m not throwing all the bombs at once. Maybe just once and doing it 100 per cent, so that’s a different situation.
“I have reconned Stage 17 and the [Stage 16] time trial, but even if I don’t know the Markstein so well, the area is more or less familiar to me.
“Wednesday is the hardest day of the Tour on paper, but a lot will depend on how we race Stage 20 - that could end up being even tougher. We’ve got three very complicated stages ahead.”
Meanwhile, Vingegaard commented on the possibility of the gap between the two riders opening up by the end of the race as well as the importance of the time trial for his GC prospects.
"It will be hard to tell. But I still think at one point, especially with the time trial and the stages coming up, I don't believe it will be a matter of seconds," he said.
"It could be less than a minute, for sure. But yeah, I don't think it will be a matter of five seconds. I could not imagine. But I guess we'll see in Paris.
"I will do my best. And of course, there are also two hard stages in addition to the time trial, where you can make a huge difference. But I think that the time trial tomorrow will be very decisive."
Pogacar was also asked about how he thought the rest of the race would pan out.
“I can see Jonas is looking pretty good in the bunch, he doesn’t seem to be too nervous. Rather than our heads, I think it’s going to come down to our legs this year,” he predicted.
“I must say, for a third year in a row, now, I’m enjoying this battle. It’s a good duel. I respect this battle a lot.”
