MILAN (AP) — Rarely has the Giro d’Italia had such an overwhelming pre-race favorite.

Tadej Pogačar is competing in the Italian grand tour for the first time in an audacious attempt at the Giro-Tour de France double. The two-time Tour champion has been in dominant form this year.

Adding to his short odds, three of the few riders who can challenge Pogačar over a three-week race — titleholder Primož Roglič, Jonas Vingegaard and Remco Evenepoel — will not be at the Giro starting on Saturday.

“It’s going to be a big challenge coming up against Tadej. I’d prefer if he wasn’t going but at the same time having him there is great,” Geraint Thomas, last year’s runner-up, says.

“It’ll change the race completely and his team will take on the weight of the race and everything that comes with that.”

Pogačar has started only five grand tours and made it to the podium of all five. He won the Tour in 2020 and 2021, was runner-up twice more, and was third in his one and only Spanish Vuelta in 2019.