There are so many quality GC contenders in the Grand Tours, but only four of them are capable of attracting public interest to a race on their own. These are the well-known Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Primoz Roglic and Remco Evenepoel.
Not surprisingly, each of the four choose a different path to start the season. Evenepoel will be the first to put on the number, as the Belgian aims to add to his two Volta ao Algarve titles, while Vingegaard will defend in O Gran Camiño. Pogacar starts its hot spring, with a streak of great classics ahead of the Giro d’Italia.
While only Pogacar heads to Italy, just before that a big clash is anticipated in Liège-Bastogne-Liège, where (at least) two former universal champions will face each other: Roglic and Evenepoel.
If the Giro d’Italia goes largely unnoticed in 2024, the same cannot be said for the Tour de France, where the big forces, that is to say the big four, should normally collide. And if all goes well, the fans are preparing for a great show.
Shortly after the Grande Boucle, the Paris Olympics are on the menu, and all four have expressed their desire to represent their country, even if the courses don’t particularly suit any of them.
In the fall, only Vingegaard is aiming for La Vuelta de España so far, but as we have known in the past, more riders will be looking to redeem their seasons in the Spanish race, so the start list is far from complete.
However, the World Cup is another story. A circuit around Zurich promises a race similar to Innsbruck 2018, a golden opportunity for all climbers to don the rainbow for a year. The normal thing is that all four of them are there.
The last, but not least: Il Lombardia. So far, only three-time champion Pogacar has announced his intention to take part in the race, but once again, it is unlikely that he will be the only one of the four keen to win the October monument.
Source: www.ciclismoaldia.es