{"id":195787,"date":"2024-05-27T08:34:13","date_gmt":"2024-05-27T08:34:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.welovecycling.com\/wide\/?p=195787"},"modified":"2024-05-27T11:12:00","modified_gmt":"2024-05-27T11:12:00","slug":"pogacar-pogacar-pogacar-other-takeaways-from-the-2024-giro","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.welovecycling.com\/wide\/2024\/05\/27\/pogacar-pogacar-pogacar-other-takeaways-from-the-2024-giro\/","title":{"rendered":"Opinion: Poga\u010dar, Poga\u010dar, Poga\u010dar & Other Takeaways from the 2024 Giro"},"content":{"rendered":"

A lot of words have been written about Tadej Poga\u010dar\u2019s cycling genius over the three weeks of this Giro d\u2019Italia, including in this space. And justifiably so, because his performance has been so brilliant that it has already become legendary.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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I don\u2019t want to add too many words to that total because I would only be repeating myself. I will restrict myself to simply noting a few facts about what he accomplished in his first Giro appearance \u2013 after a brief observation.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not only his immense talent, stamina, bravado and voracious appetite for winning that distinguishes the 26-year-old Slovenian from every other cyclist that has ever raced on the world\u2019s roads. I make this statement on the basis of an incident that occurred towards the end of stage 20, when Poga\u010dar had a lead of 2 minutes over his nearest pursuers in the stage and was on his way to another easy stage win, his sixth.<\/p>\n

He had broken away, as usual, from a small group of GC contenders on the second arduous climb of Monte Grappa (18.1km @ 8.1%, with ramps of 15%), 36km from the finish line. It had been a very testing three weeks (though Poga\u010dar often made it appear as if he were on a weekend recreational ride), and the two Monte Grappa ascents had taken their toll on everyone.<\/p>\n

With 21km left to race in the 184km stage, a boy of about 10 ran alongside him on a straight stretch of road, apparently declaring his admiration for the superstar. Poga\u010dar<\/a> slowed down, grabbed a water bottle from a UAE Team Emirates soigneur at the side of the road and, in one swift and elegant motion, without ceasing to ride, handed it to the boy (who must also be praised for this athleticism and perseverance).<\/p>\n

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Zobrazit p\u0159\u00edsp\u011bvek na Instagramu<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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P\u0159\u00edsp\u011bvek sd\u00edlen\u00fd Giro d’Italia (@giroditalia)<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n