Pogačar wins Giro D'Italia in grand style
Rome, 26 May - Slovenian cycling superstar Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) has won the Giro d'Italia, finishing his debut in the Italian grand tour almost ten minutes ahead of his closest rivals. The 25-year-old clinched the win already well before today's all but ceremonial ride in Rome, winning six of the 21 stages, finishing second twice and third once.
Bassano del Grappa, Italy
Cycling start Tadej Pogačar wins the Giro d'Italia.
Photo: Sani Karić/STA
The two-time Tour de France winner (2020, 2021) wore the pink jersey of the race leader in all but the first and second stage, destroying his opponents in the mountains to build up a gap of 9:56 ahead of second-placed Columbian rider Daniel Martinez (Bora-hansgrohe) and 10:24 ahead of Britain's Geraint Thomas (Ineos Grenadiers) in third place.
"I'm speechless, it's hard to describe this with words ... There will be a lot of nice memories, but I think that with time I will see which one is my favourite. In general, it was a really beautiful Giro. ... The pink jersey is really special. And all the fans, it was an unbelievable experience," Pogačar said after arriving in Rome.
While he has already won the Tour of Catalonia, Liège-Bastogne-Liege, and Strade Bianche in the weeks leading up to the Giro, Pogačar is attempting the Giro-Tour double this year. His total victories count in the biggest international races has increased to 77, 14 of which came this year alone.
Among Pogačar's rivals at the race in France, which starts in less than five weeks, is the other Slovenian star Primož Roglič (Bora-hansgrohe), who won the Giro last year and is moreover a triple Vuelta a Espana winner.
Of the other three Slovenes in the Giro, Jan Tratnik (Visma-Lease a Bike) and Domen Novak (UAE Team Emirates) made it to the finish line. Tratnik made a couple of attempts at the breakaway, but his highest finish was a third place on stage 10. He was 34th overall, while Novak, who kept watch over Pogačar throughout, was 66th overall after 21 stages.
Luka Mezgec (Jayco AlUla) withdrew from the Giro after the 13th race and headed to Livigno for altitude training ahead of the Tour de France.