The experience, knowledge and crystal ball-gazing skills of SBS commentators Matt Keenan and Bridie O’Donnell was put to the test as they discussed the main contenders for the final yellow jersey at the Tour de France.
While two-time winner Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) was the unanimous favourite, it was Vingegaard who the team picked as the top dog within the Jumbo-Visma squad.
“I actually think that Jonas Vingegaard is a better option for Jumbo-Visma than Primož Roglič,” said Keenan. “Stage 5… if I’m Primož Roglič going across the cobblestones on Stage 5, I might lose a bit of sleep over that one.
“Vingegaard seems more comfortable on the cobblestones and – I know Tadej Pogačar had a huge lead by the halfway mark at last year’s Tour – but from the halfway point to the finish in Paris, Vingegaard was actually 13 seconds quicker. So, I’m clutching at straws to try and find a rival for that yellow jersey.”
While Roglič won the recent Criterium du Dauphine, O’Donnell drew attention to moments during the race where Vingegaard, acting as a super domestique at times for his highly decorated teammate, set a pace that saw Roglič struggle.
“What we saw on that final stage of the Dauphine – where it looked like Jonas Vingegaard was waiting for Roglič, soft-pedalling so he could keep up,” said O’Donnell. “They’re going in with Roglič as the official leader, but I wonder how things are going to pan out.
“Whether it’s time trial performance from Copenhagen onwards or climbing performance, I don’t think Vingegaard is going to be waiting any more.”
Australian contenders Jack Haig (Bahrain Victorious) and Ben O’Connor (AG2R-Citroen) had the best Grand Tour results of their careers in 2021, with O’Connor fourth at the Tour de France and Haig third at La Vuelta after crashing out and fracturing his collarbone during Stage 3 of the Tour.
With 44 kilometres of flat-time trials at this year’s Tour de France, the Bendigo local may have his work cut out for him after conceding a minute and 23 seconds to Roglič on the recent 31-kilometre time trial during the Dauphine.
“I don’t know if his time trial ability is good enough to keep him in the mix,” said O’Donnell of Haig. “We saw an improved time trial at the Dauphine a week, he climbed well on those difficult stages and he was there with his teammate Caruso as well, but I don’t know if we’re going to see him there on those difficult stages in Week 2 and then those high mountains stages.”
“I think fifth is his limit at this point,” said Keenan of the highest potential overall finish for Haig, “which is still an amazing result. He was third at the Vuelta last year, but from memory he was seven minutes and forty seconds behind, that’s a big gap. Also the Vuelta’s fantastic, but it’s not the Tour.”
Ben O’Connor (AG2R-Citroen) was tipped to go one better than last year, which would see him just the third Australian to grace the podium after Cadel Evans and Richie Porte.
“I think he can go on the podium, I think third is something that we could be extraordinarily impressed by,” said O’Donnell of the West Australian. “What we saw from him at the Dauphine was that he wasn’t looking around and waiting for others to follow moves, he was really seizing the opportunity. He’s stepped up into his role as a contender.”
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