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2023 UCI World Tour
2023 Tour de France
1–23 July 2023
Former two-time champion Tadej Pogacar is relishing the opportunity to attack 2022 winner Jonas Vingegaard in the
2023 Tour de France.
The UAE Team Emirates rider beat compatriot Primoz Roglic of Team Jumbo–Visma to win La Grande Boucle on debut in 2020 before defending his title the following year.
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However, Pogacar was denied a three-peat when his aggressive approach of chasing stage wins proved costly as Vingegaard pulled ahead on stage 11 and held onto the yellow jersey for the remainder of the race in 2022.
The Slovenian managed to get the better of his main rival at Paris-Nice in March, but then sustained a broken wrist at Liege-Bastogne-Liege the following month to hamper his preparations for the Tour de France.
Pogacar, who had already amassed 12 victories on the UCI World Tour by then, is looking forward to a more relaxing challenge this time around after the pressure of defending his title the previous two years.
"For two years I'd been defending the tour, it's a different pressure than when you're attacking the tour," the 24-year-old said. "This year, I have nothing to lose. I'm coming after an injury and whatever happens, happens.
"I think I'm in good shape but you never know. It's a totally different mentality from last year, for sure. I'm relaxed, I don't put too much pressure on myself. I know we have a good team and we know what we have to do."
Last five Tour de France winners
2022 - Jonas Vingegaard (DEN)
2021 - Tadej Pogacar (SLO)
2020 - Tadej Pogacar (SLO)
2019 - Egan Bernal (COL)
2018 - Geraint Thomas (GBR)
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