Vingegaard-Pogacar duel headlines Tour de France

BILBAO, SPAIN: Defending champion Jonas Vingegaard leads the Tour de France out of the Basque port of Bilbao on Saturday on a 21-day adventure crammed with peaks, postcard panoramas and an eye-catching showdown on a massive dormant volcano on the 3,404km route to Paris.

The 30 mountains on the route lend Vingegaard of Jumbo-Visma an edge over two-time champion Tadej Pogacar backed by a reinforced Team UAE squad.

A year ago, Jumbo’s collective strength helped the Dane, more resilient on the toughest climbs, outlast the daring Pogacar in a ruthless war of attrition in the mountains.

Pogacar had finished first the year before with Vingegaard second. This promises to be their third heavyweight bout.

Pogacar won the Slovenian national championship on Sunday and said it was a good test of his legs ahead of the Tour.

“I’m happy to have succeeded. It was a good test before the Tour. My legs were pretty solid,” said Pogacar.

“Now I’m going to rest before heading to Bilbao for the start.”

French hope Romain Bardet said: “It will be a beautiful battle, especially if they are both at 100 percent.

“There’s a plethora of pretenders following right behind them.”

Tour folklore insists the champion is chosen by the Alps, and 13 of this year’s 30 mountains are there, with six more in the Pyrenees, five in the Vosges, four in the Massif Central and one each in the Jura and Basque Country.

The Tour makes a hilly start over the forested slopes around Bilbao and San Sebastian.

The Spanish Basque Country is a cycling heartland and fervent local fans will be out in force for the Grand Depart.

Clever route design has set up what promises to be a swashbuckling struggle over the first three stages in an event televised in 190