The UAE Team Emirates wants war. The Emirati team aspires to Take Tadej Pogacar to what would be the fourth tour of France in the Slovenian record. And, for this, it has seven luxury gregarious. One of them is Marc Soler. The Spanish corridor, who turns 32 in November, will play the 'Grande Boucl' for eighth time in his career with the aim of helping its undisputed leader to take the yellow jersey. And the domain of Pogacar It reminds another leader who had years ago: Alejandro Valverde.
Soler He was part of the ranks of Movistar Team until the 2021 seasonso he knows what he is talking about. This is explained in statements to the specialized environment Wielerevue: “Sincerely, I feel like when I was in Movistar. No one could win Valverde either. The difference is that Tadej is even better than Valverde and is worth all races. Whether classic, one week or three weeks, in the mountains, in the Pavé or on the plain. It is the best in almost everything. ”
In addition, Soler is impressed by Pogacar's ability to continue improving: “No one has been able to beat him in a training concentration since I started to run for the team. It has always been a little better than everyone else, every year. “And that constant improvement will need the Slovenian in this year's tour, because He faces a giant from his past That made him have a bad time: The Col de la Lze, at the end of stage 18 (Thursday, July 24).
A bitter memory of Col de la Lze
In the 2023 editionPogacar wasted time with Jonas Vingegaard in the time trial. The next day, Alpine colossus faced with the need to hit the table. And, as Soler recalls, it was not: “It was a hard day at the physical and mental level. Especially after losing in the time trial the day before. I did everything I could to motivate him, but it didn't work. I told him that I could win with a second difference and that everything did not depend on that day, but The Col de la Lze is very hard. ”
Pogacar, behind Soler on the climb to the Loze Col of 2023.
And Pogacar suffered it: It was one of the biggest birds that are rememberedand Soler lived it right next to its leader from beginning to end, until they entered the finish line together. The difference with Vingegaard at the end of that stage ended up being definitive For the outcome of the tour and left the Danish yellow jersey. However, Soler believes it will be different this year. Starting with the update slopewhich is not the same: this year they rise 26.4 kilometers with an average slope of 6.5%, The longest ascension of this edition of the Great French return.
“This year goes up the other side, but, anyway, We return to the top where everything went wrong two years ago. We continue to joke about that day, especially on the face he says I put when I was motivating him. It is an anecdote that we count sometimes, but This year we want to demonstrate that we can win at the Col de la Lze. It is an ideal time to avenge us“Soler concludes.
