Defending champion Tadej Pogacar insisted he had every respect for his great Tour de France rival Jonas Vingegaard ahead of Saturday's opening stage in Lille.
The 26-year-old Slovenian won the Tour de France, Giro d'Italia and world title in 2024 and is the hot favorite again.
Speaking at the Lille Opera House on Thursday, the Team UAE rider laughed off suggestions of bitterness when asked about harsh words between the two in previous races.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.