The Tour returns home, Pogacar 'everything is going well'

'Un nouveau départ', a new departure, for the 109 / o Tour de France of cycling which, after the 'three days' in Denmark (the northernmost point touched by the Grande Boucle in its history), has landed in France, with the Belgian Wout Van Aert in the yellow jersey.

The eyes, however, are on 23-year-old Tadej Pogacar, winner of the last two editions, who is only 14 "from the top of the general classification. The Slovenian is third and controls the race, with an advantage of 8" and 9 ". on the rivals of Jumbo-Visma, respectively the Danish Jonas Vingegaard and the compatriot Primoz Roglic. "If I have to make a first evaluation, I will say that everything went well, I feel good", admitted the winner of the 2020 and 2021 editions.

    The Tour de France, however, now comes alive with another three days of stages that seem as many classic: tomorrow there will be a battle on the Boulonnais mountains, then it will be the turn of the cobblestones of the Roubaix.

Not just any path.

"That of the classic a day is a formula that has been repeated for several years at the Tour - recalls the race director, Christian Prudhomme - it all depends on what the riders will do. Obviously, if Wout Van Aert and Mathieu Van der Poel challenge each other, how they did on the road to Le Creusot last year, the race will become very interesting for the fans ... and exhausting for the riders. "

    The weather will also tell the story of him in the race for the yellow jersey.

    Pogacar will be called to overtime, and not only him, by the racing specialists on certain tracks.

Van Aert, however, despite winning the provisional leadership, complained about too many mistakes, especially in yesterday's sprint.

"The yellow jersey - said the Belgian - is something that gives you joy and optimism, but it's not enough for me: I'm here to win at least one stage".

    The land available will not be lacking and neither will the eyes on the Dutch rival - son and grandson of art - Van der Poel: he too is aiming for partial successes.

Pogacar, on the other hand, is only interested in the trio in Paris on 24 July.

An unmissable appointment for Slovenian.