Three men for two goals.
The very prestigious Dutch formation of the Jumbo Visma does not hide its ambitions for this Tour 2022. Unsurprisingly, Wout Van Aert will play for the green jersey of the best sprinter.
As for Primoz Roglic and Jonas Vingegaard, they will try to dethrone the double winner Tadej Pogacar.
One question remains, one of the big mysteries of the pre-race: was the role of leader distributed between the two climbers?
Currently not.
The Jumbo has a “plan”, it repeated it again this Wednesday during its presentation conference organized remotely.
But we will not know anything about this strategy.
Only indication, at the start on Friday from downtown Copenhagen, there will not be one but two contenders for the general classification.
"Primoz and Jonas are both in very good shape and very close to each other," summed up coach Grischa Niermann.
So no clue, just compliments, on the “experience” of the first, on the “gain of confidence” and the progress of “leadership” of the second.
As a reminder, the Dane Vingegaard (25) was revealed last year, finishing runner up surprise after the early abandonment of his leader.
“We have a good plan and hope to succeed,” says Vingegaard
Last month, the last two Tour de France runners-up crushed the competition at the Critérium du Dauphiné.
In the end, it was Roglic who won but what about the work and ease of his teammate, the most comfortable at high altitude.
“We make each other stronger.
We are two great individuals at the service of the collective and super good friends from a personal point of view.
The strategy is to survive the early stages and then follow our plan.
If we all give our best together, we can beat Pogacar as a team,” Roglic said from the hotel where his team is staying.
Read alsoTour de France: in Copenhagen, caution but do not panic in the face of Covid-19
Same elements of language or almost for his comrade.
“Primoz and I have the yellow jersey in mind and we will have the help we need.
We must do the maximum for these two objectives (with the green jersey).
We have a good plan and hope to succeed”.
He then made it clear that he was not leaving with the number two cap.
“Last year I came to the Tour as a team member so of course it's a different approach.
I have more confidence in myself now, I believe in myself more.
It's a very different situation, but in a good way!
".
🎙 🇩🇰 Jonas Vingegaard "Last year I came to the Tour as a teammate so of course it's a different approach. I have more confidence in myself now, I believe in myself more. It's a situation very different, but in a good way!"#TDF2022 pic.twitter.com/053nVttuMp
— Tour de France™ (@LeTour) June 29, 2022
The plan of the Yellow and Black will undoubtedly depend largely on the state of form after the tricky first week.
Between the risks of curbs, falls on the cobblestones, and the climb of the Super Planche des Belles Filles next Friday, the program promises to be tough.
The Roglic-Vingegaard couple was not mistaken and moreover used the same expression this Wednesday: it will be necessary to “survive” there.
This without forgetting the Covid-19 which drags on and which has already hit the Jumbo-Visma.
Manager Merijn Zeeman tested positive before leaving for Denmark and will have to follow the start of the race behind his computer.