The pack rides during the stage 18 of the Tour de France cycling race over 175 kilometers (108.7 miles) from Meribel to La Roche-sur-Foron, France, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2020.Thibault Camus | The Associated Press

On Saturday, the annual Tour de France is set to write a new chapter, as the most durable athletes in sports get set to take on the various terrains in the world’s most prestigious cycling race.

Coming into this year’s event, there is one heavy favorite. That is two-time defending champion Tadej Pogacar, who looks to become the first man since Chris Froome in 2017, and the fifth man in the race’s history, to win three-straight Tour de France’s. The Slovenian took home the bronze medal in the Olympic road race in Tokyo, and has won the first three stage races he has taken part in so far.

One of the big challengers coming into the event is fellow countryman Primož Roglič. Roglič was the man who stood atop the podium in the time trial race in Tokyo 2020. The Slovenian had to exit the Tour de France last year, despite coming close to defeating Pogacar in 2020.

Other riders to watch out for in this year’s race inclue Columbia’s Daniel Martinez, Denmark’s Jonas Vigegaard and Aleksandr Vlasov from Russia, all of which have a chance to steal a stage this year.

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