Can anyone stop dominant Pogacar at the Tour de France?

Tadej Pogacar continues to look unstoppable.

When nan reigning Tour de France champion originates his title defence successful Lille connected Saturday, he will do truthful arsenic nan beardown favourite to triumph cycling's top roadworthy title for a 4th clip astatine nan property of 26.

The Slovenian became nan first rider to triumph six stages successful a azygous version since Mark Cavendish successful 2009 arsenic he dominated past year's version of nan three-week race, finishing much than six minutes clear of closest challenger Jonas Vingegaard.

His grip connected nan peloton appears only to person tightened successful 2025.

Pogacar earned nan astir caller of his 11 wins this twelvemonth successful ominous manner astatine nan eight-stage Criterium du Dauphine successful June - a title that gives a bully denotation of a rider's shape heading into nan Tour. Pogacar won 3 stages arsenic he took nan title by 59 seconds complete Vingegaard.

That took him to 99 profession victories successful stages, races and wide classifications - a grounds among progressive riders - pursuing his occurrence astatine one-day races Strade Bianche, Liege-Bastogne-Liege, La Fleche Wallone and nan Tour of Flanders, and nan week-long UAE Tour earlier this year.

The UAE Team Emirates-XRG rider, who is besides nan reigning roadworthy world champion, will beryllium aided by a beardown squad featuring his ace domestique Joao Almeida.

But, complete nan people of 21 gruelling stages - which successful nan race's 112th version will request riders tackle nan feared climbs of nan Hautacam, Mont Ventoux, Col de la Loze and La Plagne - and pinch world-class threats astir him, triumph for Pogacar will beryllium acold from definite until nan peloton crosses nan accepted decorativeness statement connected nan Champs-Elysees successful Paris.

Of those hoping to contradict Pogacar, two-time champion Vingegaard holds nan astir realistic hope.

The Dane, 28, knows really to hit Pogacar, having recorded ascendant victories successful some 2022 and 2023 arsenic nan pair's breathtaking rivalry has played retired complete caller years.

The strength of that title tin beryllium champion summarised by nan statistic that, crossed nan past 4 Tours combined, Pogacar holds an wide lead of conscionable 1 infinitesimal and 25 seconds complete Vingegaard - astir 1 2nd per stage.

Also successful Vingegaard's favour is that Visma-Lease a Bike arguably boast nan strongest team, pinch Britain's Giro d'Italia victor Simon Yates, and knowledgeable Grand Tour riders Sepp Kuss, Wout van Aert and Matteo Jorgenson each successful support.

Vingegaard's preparations past twelvemonth were affected by his superior clang astatine nan Itzulia Basque Country and, while he suffered a concussion successful a clang astatine Paris-Nice successful March, he appears to beryllium hitting shape aft finishing 2nd to Pogacar astatine nan Dauphine.

Completing past year's podium was Remco Evenepoel, who achieved an awesome 3rd spot connected his title debut.

Belgium's double Olympic champion, who won roadworthy title and clip proceedings golds astatine Paris 2024, carries Soudal-QuickStep's hopes pursuing a fourth-place decorativeness astatine nan Dauphine, but he has yet to deed his very champion shape since suffering aggregate injuries successful an mishap while connected a training thrust successful December.

And, while he demonstrated his clip proceedings abilities successful winning shape four, nan erstwhile Vuelta a Espana victor vanished much than 4 minutes down Pogacar overall.

The 25-year-old was pipped to nan podium location by Florian Lipowitz of Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe, who are expected to prioritise Primoz Roglic successful their hunt for a wide classification podium place.

The team's caput of capacity Dan Lorang admitted to cycling website Velo, external this period that nan rider's chap Slovenian Pogacar "is 1 level above", adding: "We person to judge that's really it is, and we cannot discuss it."

Nevertheless, Roglic, near devastated erstwhile compatriot Pogacar snatched Tour de France glory from him connected nan penultimate shape successful 2020, has fantabulous Grand Tour pedigree arsenic a five-time victor of cycling's multi-week races (four Vuelta a Espana titles and 1 Giro d'Italia victory).

But aft winning nan Volta a Catalunya successful March, Roglic collapsed retired of this year's Giro and it remains to beryllium seen whether nan 35-year-old tin retrieve successful clip to compete pinch nan champion astatine nan Tour.

Should he struggle, nan squad could determine to unleash breathtaking 24-year-old German Lipowitz, who has besides placed 2nd wide astatine Paris-Nice and 4th astatine nan Itzulia Basque Country successful 2025.

While nan spotlight is connected nan conflict for nan wide Tour de France victory, location is overmuch much going on.

In summation to shape wins, riders and their teams will beryllium contesting 4 jerseys crossed nan 21 stages:

Those much suited to sprinting will spell head-to-head for shape victories erstwhile nan terrain allows, pinch nan likes of Jasper Philipsen, Biniam Girmay, Tim Merlier and Jonathan Milan among nan main contenders aft record-breaker Mark Cavendish retired past year.

Expect to spot fierce riders for illustration Julian Alaphilippe seeking breakaway opportunities successful pursuit of shape wins for their teams.

British squad Ineos Grenadiers will beryllium among those chasing shape glory, but Briton Tom Pidcock, who near to subordinate Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team, will not title this year's Tour de France.