Alberto Contador's keys to winning the Tour de France

• Marc Soler "Pogacar amazes you, it does a little what it wants"

• History Hinault to LeMond: the greatest betrayal and the most false armistice

In July it will be 15 years since

's first victory in the Tour de France.

A victory generated in the controversy.

In 2007, the Danish

, when he was the leader and more than three minutes ahead of the Pinteño, was expelled by the Rabobank team because he had violated anti-doping regulations.

lied to those responsible for his team about the places where he trained to avoid the controls.

"It's been 15 years and we've all changed a lot.

Not only cycling », exclaims the Madrilenian.

Then, the Spaniards dominated the most sought-after positions on the Tour.

Contador, 24 years old, was first;

, fourth;

, fifth;

, sixth;

, ninth;

and

, tenth.

Contador is the latest Hispanic winner in the

.

"I hope they don't take long to happen to me.

There is a group that is pushing hard.

won the Spanish road championship last Sunday, as did

in the time trial.

And there are

or

.

It is true that Spanish cycling lacks triumphs, but this is a matter of generations.

Before we dominated, then the British and Colombians arrived and now they are Slovenian.

We have young people with a lot of quality, who run without complexes and know how to withstand pressure, ”says the Eurosport commentator, who analyzes for EL MUNDO the favorites of the Tour that starts this Friday, in Copenhagen, with a 13.2-kilometer time trial .

Tadej Pogacar (ESL) 23 years old

«The rider of the Emirates group is number 1 and the great favorite to win this Tour.

He is a great climber and the route is adapted to his characteristics.

He goes to the round in a great moment of form.

He is the rival to beat.

He stands, along with

and

, one step above the rest.

He is signing a spectacular season, with exhibitions in all the races in which he participates.

He impresses in everything he does.

It is a spectacle in competition and also in training.

Now, thanks to some applications, you can have data on how it is prepared.

And we have already seen that he flies.

It's nice to follow him.

Tadej doesn't mind attacking from afar, but some don't get it.

I wish there were many as brave as him,

or

, capable of hooking the viewer, as

does in football.

What Pogacar has been doing since he became a professional is outrageous, not only because of the races he wins, but also how he wins them.

With his precocity he has created a school.

Many do not mind advancing the deadlines and jumping to the elite directly from youth.

The kids are motivated to see runners like Pogacar.

And it is that it is not the same to win in one way than in another ».

Primoz Roglic (ESL) 32 years old

«The leader of the Jumbo Visma comes to the Tour with a powerful block, with very reliable riders on all terrains.

He is possibly the strongest group in the race.

The Slovenian showed in the Critérum Dauphiné, the last quality rehearsal before the start of the gala round, that he is in an optimal moment.

He and Vingegaard, if they play their cards right tactically, can do a lot of damage to Pogacar.

But they should not leave the attacks for the final moments of the stages or for the last section of the mountain passes.

I have no doubt that Roglic will put Pogacar in trouble.

He has experience and we already know that he performs with guarantees in the mountains and in time trials ».

Jonas Vingegaard (left) and Primoz Roglic, during the Dauphiné.MARCO BERTORELLOAFP

Jonas Vingegaard (DIN) 25 years

«Last year, in his debut on the Tour, he was second and that position is not won by chance.

On Mont Ventoux, for a few moments, he gave Tadej Pogacar a hard time.

In the last Dauphiné he gave the impression of being as strong, if not stronger, than Roglic.

He climbs a lot, he goes well in the time trials, he is young and, theoretically, he will go further.

He is very well physically and I think he will not settle for less than what he achieved last year.

Some believe that his progression could cause a conflict of hierarchies in the Jumbo Visma, but now it is too early to say for sure.

Having two alternatives is advisable, because the Tour is very long and many things happen every day.

In 2021 he unexpectedly had to assume the leadership of Jumbo Visma and he did very well.

In this Tour, as in the previous ones, there will be a lot of tension from the start.

The second stage can be very dangerous because it goes over an 18-kilometre bridge and the wind can blow there and cause cuts in the peloton.

In the first week there will be the cobblestone stage and the first uphill finish: Planche des Belles Filles.

Then the complicated day of Granon will be faced, a tremendous port.

Until the summit of Alpe d'Huez (stage 12) is reached, the situations and the real bets of the teams will not be clarified.

From there you will see the runners who in the Pyrenees will go on the defensive or on the attack.

a tremendous port.

Until the summit of Alpe d'Huez (stage 12) is reached, the situations and the real bets of the teams will not be clarified.

From there you will see the runners who in the Pyrenees will go on the defensive or on the attack.

a tremendous port.

Until the summit of Alpe d'Huez (stage 12) is reached, the situations and the real bets of the teams will not be clarified.

From there you will see the runners who in the Pyrenees will go on the defensive or on the attack.

Ben O'Connor (AUS) 26 years

«The Australian is the first in a long list of contenders for the podium who, a priori, are at a lower level than Pogacar, Roglic and Vingegaard.

He was fourth in the last edition of the Tour and arrives in Copenhagen in good condition, as he confirmed at the Critérium Dauphiné, where he was not far behind the two Jumbo Visma riders.

The performance harvested in the last Tour was not the result of luck.

He then he was very smart to get into a breakaway and make up for lost time.

He has a good base ».

Enric Mas, during the preparation of the Tour.Tim de WaeleWORLD

Enric Mas (ESP) 27 years old

“It is the main Spanish option to fight for the positions of honor in the race.

In the big rounds, Enric always goes from less to more, but we already know that winning a general classification is very complicated.

The important thing is that he has a good attitude in the three weeks.

He has to go day by day and be very regular.

As I said before, the Tour is very long and many unforeseen events can happen, as happened in the Giro d'Italia, with the large number of dropouts of important people in the first few days.

We will have to be very attentive to the effects of Covid.

I insist, many houses can pass.

You must be very attentive to take advantage of the favorable circumstances that arise.

This year, the last time trial, with a route of 40 kilometers and a couple of steep slopes, will be decisive for those runners who are theoretically inferior to Pogacar,

Roglic and Vingegaard in that specialty.

For this reason, Enric has no other alternative than to go to the top in the time trial ».

Daniel Felipe Martinez (COL) 26 years old

“The Colombian is a very solid cyclist and he is ready to do something important.

He has experience and has put on displays working for other leaders.

He is psyched up to perform at his best and he knows that he is facing his big opportunity.

He is backed by a great team, Ineos, and will share leadership responsibilities with

and

."

Conforms to The Trust Project criteria

Know more