Tadej Pogacar expecting 'big fights' and has 'great ambitions' at 2025 Tour de France as he battles Jonas Vingegaard for yellow jersey
By Alex Livie
Updated 04/07/2025 at 10:54 GMT+1
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The Tour de France is fast approaching, with the race getting under way on Saturday, live on TNT Sports and discovery+. Tadej Pogacar of UAE Team Emirates-XRG is the defending champion and the Slovenian is ready for a battle with the likes of Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) and Remco Evenepoel (Soudal Quick-Step) on the roads leading to the finish in Paris.
Pogacar expecting ‘big fight’ in bid to defend Tour de France title
Video credit: TNT Sports
Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) has "great ambitions" ahead of the start of the Tour de France and says he is ready for the "big fights" ahead.
The Slovenian is the hot favourite to win the Tour for a fourth time, on the back of a brilliant season so far.
Pogacar had a stunning Classics campaign with victories at the Tour of Flanders, Liege-Bastogne-Liege, Strade Bianche and La Fleche Wallonne.
The 26-year-old put the finishing touches to his Tour prep at the Criterium Du Dauphine, where he beat big rivals Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) and Remco Evenepoel (Soudal Quick-Step) in dominant fashion.
Two-time winner Alberto Contador told Eurosport Spain that the likes of Visma and Soudal Quick-Step must make the race hard for Pogacar, and the defending champion is bracing himself for a battle.
"I am really looking forward to the Tour, especially after such a great start of the season," Pogacar told TNT Sports ahead of the Grand Depart in Lille, which will be live on TNT Sports and discovery+ on Saturday, July 5.
"As always, I have great ambitions for the Tour, so coming here with a great team, No. 1 on my back, it's going to be interesting but exciting as well."
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The Dauphine was Vingegaard’s first race since suffering a concussion at Paris-Nice. The Dane will be pushing for a third Tour win, and Pogacar is expecting a fight.
"I think we can expect big fights through the next three weeks," Pogacar said.
"Of course the Dauphine is just a one-week race and here it is three weeks; a lot of more difficulties to face, and I hope we are ready as a team for everything."
The one wrinkle for Pogacar at the Dauphine was an underwhelming time trial, and he confirmed he had been working on his TT during a training camp at altitude.
"We went to a team camp in Isola 2000 and we had a great time there, some hard training," Pogacar said. "Some good training on the TT bike to get some confidence back after the Dauphine TT."
This year's Tour de France has two time trials, including a mountain time trial on Stage 13.
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Stream the 2025 Tour de France live on TNT Sports and discovery+
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