Pogacar & Vingegaard: The duel of giants is renewed

The 113th Tour de France begins on Saturday in Barcelona, Spain. Once again, the two superstars Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard are the top favorites. Ahead of the world's most important cycling race, we answer the most important questions.

June 29, 2026

From: dpa

What's on the agenda for the start in Spain?

The first stage of the Grand Tour is a 19-kilometer team time trial through the Catalan metropolis, passing the Sagrada Família and climbing Montjuïc, Barcelona's iconic mountain. Unlike previous editions, however, each rider's time will be recorded individually. It will be interesting to see how the teams adapt their tactics. The second day also features multiple climbs over Montjuïc in and around Barcelona, culminating in a challenging finale at the Olympic Stadium. The third stage then takes the peloton into France.

Can anyone beat Tadej Pogacar?

The Slovenian cycling dominator won almost every Classic he entered this spring, and then most recently triumphed at the Tour de Suisse by more than six minutes. If he stays healthy for the three weeks, anything other than a victory would be a huge surprise. It would be the 27-year-old's fifth Tour de France triumph. The world champion would then equal the record held by Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault, and Miguel Indurain.

Spectacular images are guaranteed. © AFP / ANNE-CHRISTINE POUJOULAT

Who else is considered a top prospect?

A little ahead of Remco Evenepoel, Pogacar's long-time rival Jonas Vingegaard should be mentioned. The Danish Tour de France champion of 2022 and 2023 won the Giro d'Italia for the first time at the end of May and wants to carry that momentum into France. The French hopes rest on prodigy Paul Seixas (19), who is riding his first Grand Tour. Seixas has already demonstrated this season that he can and wants to compete confidently with the big names in the sport. However, it remains to be seen whether he can seriously challenge for the overall victory in his first three-week stage race.

What are the highlights of the tour?

The 184 riders will have to cover more than 3.300 kilometers. Around 54.000 meters of elevation gain are on the agenda in the Pyrenees, Massif Central, Vosges, Jura Mountains, and Alps. After the opening stage in Barcelona, the race heads directly into the Pyrenees. The seventh stage, finishing in Bordeaux, is circled in red on the sprinters' calendars.

Can Remco surprise Evenepoel? © Belga / MAARTEN STRAETEMANS

The final week will be particularly challenging for the general classification contenders. The winter sports resort of Alpe d'Huez will be the finish line twice after a four-year hiatus: first via the familiar route on stage 19, and then on the penultimate day of the tour, only tackling the last three of the 21 iconic hairpin bends, but culminating in a brutal stage with a total of 5.600 meters of climbing. The tour concludes in Paris on July 26th. The route will once again include the climb up Montmartre, a feature that provided spectacular moments last year and at the 2024 Olympics.

Why might the TV motorcycles cause trouble?

The recurring accusation at races is that the TV motorcycles rode too close to the breakaway riders, thus providing crucial slipstreaming. This issue could resurface in France and intensify the debate about implementing a technical solution.

Keywords cycling racing bike Tour de France Tadej pogacar jonas vingegaard