Pogacar eyes fourth Tour crown as rivals scramble to keep pace

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FILE PHOTO: Cycling - UCI World Championships 2024 - Mens Elite Road Race - Zurich, Switzerland - September 29, 2024 Slovenias Tadej Pogacar celebrates winning the race REUTERS/Denis Balibouse/File Photo

PARIS - Reigning champion Tadej Pogacar begins his bid for a fourth Tour de France title on Saturday, seeking to cement his status among cyclings greatest all-rounders, with rivals Jonas Vingegaard and Remco Evenepoel hoping to find a weakness in his armour.

The races 112th edition begins in Lille, with Slovenias Pogacar, who previously triumphed in 2020, 2021, and 2024, aiming to join Britains Chris Froome in the elite club of four-time winners.

That would edge him closer to the record five titles held by Bernard Hinault, Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx and Miguel Indurain.

The 26-year-old world champions scintillating spring classics campaign, featuring victories at the Tour of Flanders and Liege-Bastogne-Liege plus podiums at Milan-Sanremo and Paris-Roubaix, showcased his versatility and drew comparisons to Merckx and Hinault.

Pogacars dominance continued at last months Criterium du Dauphine, where he claimed three stages and overall victory by 59 seconds over two-time Tour winner Vingegaard.

For sure, this helps the morale and motivation for the Tour because it is the biggest goal of the season. I think it is a mental boost for all the team, he said after his commanding performance.

His sole vulnerability emerged during the Dauphines 17.4km time trial, where he conceded 48 seconds to Evenepoel and 28 to Vingegaard - a potential weakness with two time trials