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Vingegaard holds a slim 17-second advantage in the Tour de France general classification after the first 12 stages. His lead, and his form, will be put to the ultimate test in tonight's steep summit finish on the Grand Colombier.
Stage 13's decisive climb averages a harsh 7.1 per cent gradient over 17.4 kilometres. Ranked as beyond categorisation, the stage is set for an all-out showdown as the race's two biggest rivals take the opportunity to gain, or conserve, as much time as they can against the other.
Pogačar and Vingegaard finished together in Stage 12, four minutes and 14 seconds behind the day's winner Ion Izagirre (Cofidis). The two most recent overall victors at the Tour de France each did just enough to finish the stage and conserve every ounce of energy they can for tonight's crucial battle, one that could well decide the final outcome of the race.
Speaking after Stage 12, Vingegaard shared his excitement for tonight's (AEST) epic Colombier climb.
"I've done this climb before," said the defending champion.
"Like today, it's going to be a tough race, and I'm looking forward to it."
The Dane, who has marked the second two weeks of the Tour as more suited to him than the first, remained pragmatic about how the battle with an equally determined and frighteningly fast Pogačar would unfold.
“It’s a very hard climb,” Vingegaard said. “It’s also super-long. It’s always hard to say before. It depends on who’s feeling good and who’s not.
"If you feel great, you try – if not, you wait.”
Vingegaard has worn the yellow jersey of the overall leader since Stage 6, a stage Pogacar won, but not by enough to overcome an extra 25-second advantage by Vingegaard at the time. Pogačar has whittled that down to 17 seconds with nine stages left to race.
“I’m just happy where I am at the moment,” Vingegaard said.
“I don’t think about who has the momentum, I just think about myself. You can have a plan to be attacking, but if you don’t have the legs it doesn’t really matter.”
Two more mountain stages follow tonight's big test before the Tour enters its second rest day.
Key to gaining time tonight is also keeping enough in reserve to defend that lead with more tough terrain to come. With this in mind, the Grand Colombier will certainly serve up a battle of wills as much as it will test legs, lungs, and hearts.
Watch Stage 13 of the Tour de France from 9:35pm (AEST) on SBS and SBS On Demand for the full broadcast of the race.
