Jean-Baptiste Sarrazin with Martin Lange / Photo credit: MEHDI FEDOUACH / POOL / AFP 19:03 pm, July 03, 2023

The 2023 edition of the Tour de France promises to be hotly contested with a duel between Slovenian Tadej Pogačar and Denmark's Jonas Vingegaard, winner last year. An exciting confrontation for former French rider Bernard Hinault who already has his favorite in mind.

The Tour de France 2023 is launched with a duel that already keeps all its promises, the one between Slovenian Tadej Pogačar and Denmark's Jonas Vingegaard. From the second stage, between Vitoria-Gasteiz and San Sebastián (in Spain), the two cyclists surrendered blow for blow suggesting a fierce fight between the two team leaders. Interviewed in the program Europe 1 Sport (live every evening from 20 hours to 23 hours on Europe 1), Bernard Hinault delivered, exclusively, his prediction at the microphone of Martin Lange: "We will put Pogačar", wet the former five-time winner of the Grande Boucle.

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"Only little problem"...

Bernard Hinault, however, has some reservations about his favorite: "The only small problem is that we do not know his abilities because he has not run for two and a half months," he nuanced. The Slovenian is gradually recovering from his heavy crash on Liège-Bastogne-Liège two months ago resulting in multiple fractures to his wrist. For the five-time winner of the Tour de France, the Pyrenees will draw the first indications of form between the two riders. "When we pass the Pyrenees, I think we will have an idea of who is still capable of winning. I think there won't be many left," says Bernard Hinault.

The fight between Tadej Pogačar and Jonas Vingegaard should be repeated at each stage since each finish line is synonymous with bonus points, allowing to grab very precious seconds for the finish on the Champs-Elysées. "If there are bonuses from time to time to go for, and I have the opportunity, I will go," Tadej Pogačar promised after the finish of the second stage in San Sebastian. But one thing is certain for "the Badger", the Tour is promised to one of the two riders: "There is no one who can play with it", finally concluded the former French rider.