Should Tadej Pogačar be worried by Remco Evenepoel and Primož Roglič at the Tour de France? - GCN Racing News Show

The Critérium du Dauphiné came to an end on Sunday after eight stages of exciting racing, toe-curling crashes and the usual fever that precedes the Tour de France. Between them at the end of the race, Primož Roglič (Bora-Hansgrohe) and Remco Evenepoel (Soudal Quick-Step) had won three stages, the points classification and the overall title.

But has either man bolstered their credentials for the Tour de France in July? There is a case to be made that they have not.

When it comes to the Tour de France, there is no escaping the fact that there are four out-and-out favourites for the title. If a winner emerged from elsewhere, most commenters and fans would be gobsmacked. Evenepoel and Roglič should be in a four-way battle for the yellow jersey alongside the Giro d'Italia champion, Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates), and the two-time reigning Tour winner, Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike).

The form and pedigree of each rider has been carefully monitored since their participations were confirmed in late 2023, but with none of the four scheduled to race between now and the Grand Départ in Florence, Italy, it is time for the GCN Racing News Show to take final stock of how each rider is shaping up for the race.

Dan Lloyd is in the studio this week to asses each of the four contenders. The two names at the forefront of his thoughts are, of course, the Dauphiné's Roglič and Evenepoel.

Despite his victory in the general classification, points classification and two of the race's eight stages, Dan is not convinced that Roglič can beat Pogačar or Vingegaard if both riders are at their best. The Bora-Hansgrohe leader may have taken home the yellow jersey on Sunday evening, but not before he had been put to the sword on the final stage by the likes of Carlos Rodríguez (Ineos Grenadiers), Matteo Jorgenson (Visma-Lease a Bike) and Derek Gee (Israel-Premier Tech).

Read more: 'Similar to Geraint Thomas' – Derek Gee’s surprise Dauphiné podium hints at GC future

All three riders deserve credit for their performances over the past week, but none would come near to Pogačar in the form he displayed at the Giro, nor would they be able to drop Vingegaard in the shape he has displayed for most of the past three years.

Roglič's vulnerability in a race lead and his tendency to crash in stage races is cause for concern when looking ahead to the Tour too.

Equally, Evenepoel came out of the Dauphiné having shown his GC form isn't where it might have been. Like Roglič, Evenepoel crashed at Itzulia Basque Country in April, but unlike the Slovenian, the Belgian suffered broken bones and it has hampered his preparation for the summer.

The Soudal Quick-Step leader had played down his GC ambitions heading into the Dauphiné and he was right to do so. He can be credited with a blistering ride on stage 4 to win the individual time trial, but he was another rider who faltered in the mountains and finished the week in seventh place.

Both riders' performances - good and bad - can be tempered by their crashes on stage 5 of the Critérium du Dauphiné. Equally, the form of Vingegaard is a complete unknown following his own injuries that left him in hospital for 12 days earlier in the season. For the time being, then, Pogačar's status as Tour de France favourite seems only to be growing by the week.

The Slovenian has not put a foot wrong since winning Strade Bianche on his first race day in 2024 and after his domineering victory at the Giro d'Italia, has been all smiles on social media as he returns to altitude training before July. It might be 26 years since a male rider last won both the Giro and Tour in the same season, but Pogačar now appears the biggest favourite to do so since Marco Pantani's triumph.

Read more: Tadej Pogačar tips 'motivated' Remco Evenepoel for early attacks at Tour de France

In the GCN Racing News Show, Dan not only gives his own personal ranking of how each of the four favourites stack up, but also makes sure to recap a jam-packed week of racing that included the Tour of Britain Women, Dwars door het Hageland, Volta Catalunya, ZLM Tour and the opening stage of the Tour de Suisse.

That is not to mention a full rundown of what happened on each stage of the Critérium du Dauphiné. Make sure to check out the full video at the top of this page to get your weekly digest of the biggest talking points in racing.

For all the latest developments from the world of professional cycling, make sure to head over to our dedicated racing news section of the GCN website.