Tadej Pogacar is the absolute master of the Grande Boucle in recent years and is ready to start - with a new look, regained serenity and the right weapons - to hunt for his fifth Tour de France.

There is a man who, once again this year, presents himself at the start of the Tour de France with the favorites' odds sewn onto his jersey. He is Tadej Pogacar, the Slovenian champion who in recent years has rewritten the boundaries of modern cycling and who from Saturday, on the roads of Barcelona, will hunt for his fifth overall victory at the Grande Boucle.

Even before his words, what struck was his new look. During the reconnaissance of the opening time trial, Pogacar presented himself with a completely different hairstyle from usual: very short and very blonde, almost like a rock star and a watch on his wrist worth just under a million euros, but which for security reasons will not be worn during the stages. An unusual image that did not go unnoticed among fans and photographers, but which confirms the relaxed atmosphere with which the UAE Team Emirates-XRG leader approaches the most important appointment of the season.

Yesterday morning Pogacar covered the 19.6 kilometers of the team time trial that will open the 2026 Tour with his teammates. A fundamental reconnaissance to memorize every curve and every detail of the Barcelona city circuit, destined to already deliver the first gaps between the great favorites.

Subsequently the Slovenian took part in the official press conference reserved for the race leaders. As the defending Tour winner, he was the last to take the stage, after the interventions of Remco Evenepoel and Jonas Vingegaard, almost symbolically closing the parade of the great protagonists.

Among the first topics addressed, inevitably, was the health status of his partner Urska Zigart, who fell in recent weeks during the Tour de Suisse.

Pogačar reassured everyone with a smile. "Urska is getting better all the time. She's already cycling outdoors, even though the doctor says she shouldn't. She's very strong and recovering very quickly".

The Slovenian champion recounted choosing to spend the last days before the start with her. "It was a good decision to stay home with Urska in the last few days. We had fun, spent time together. Now I'm ready and completely focused on the Tour". Words that convey serenity, an element that often accompanies the great feats of the UAE Team Emirates-XRG superstar.

If there is a duel that has marked cycling in recent years, it is the one between Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard. But the Slovenian does not want to reduce the Tour to a clash between two riders. "I don't believe that only Vingegaard can come close to my level. There are many riders here who want to win".

A statement that demonstrates how much the Slovenian champion respects the level of a generation rich in talent, from Remco Evenepoel to the young emerging talents ready to enter the fight for the podium.

While broadening his view to other contenders, Pogacar did not hide how much the comparison with the Dane has contributed to his growth. "The competition between me and Jonas has been a lot of fun. We push each other to reach an ever higher level every year. Hopefully that happens this time too". A rivalry built on mutual respect, capable of elevating the level of the Tour de France season after season.

On the eve of the Grande Boucle, everything still seems to point to Tadej Pogacar as the man to beat. His season has been of the highest level and UAE Team Emirates-XRG arrives in France with a lineup built to control the race and accompany their leader all the way to Paris.

The new blonde look has attracted attention, but it will once again be his extraordinary ability to make a difference in the mountains, in time trials and in the hardest stages that will decide the fate of the race.

From tomorrow the race for his fifth Tour de France will begin. His opponents are ready to challenge him, but once again he is the reference point for the entire peloton. And, at least on paper, the rider to beat remains Tadej Pogacar.