Vingegaard and Pogacar set to resume Tour de France rivalry. Doubts remain over Vingegaard's fitness

When Jonas Vingegaard and Tadej Pogacar faced off in the heat of July last year, the main question mark was whether Pogacar would be fit enough to mount a decent challenge.

This year, as the two cyclists prepare to write the next chapter of one of the greatest rivalries in the storied history of the Tour de France, the scenario has switched.

Pogacar, the two-time champion from Slovenia who finished behind Vingegaard the past two years, is in top shape ahead of Saturday's start in the Italian city of Florence. It is the form of the Danish titleholder that is worrying his team following the crash that wreaked havoc with his season.

“Of course, we don’t know how far he can go yet," said Merijn Zeeman, the sporting director of Vingegaard's team. "We are being cautious because he has not been able to race and his preparation has been less than ideal, to say the least.”