Although several riders have won all three Grand Tours, no male has won them in the same year. Could 2024 be the year that changes?
Tadej Pogačar won the Giro d’Italia on Sunday with the largest victory margin in nearly six decades, adding a third Grand Tour trophy to his two Tour de France titles. Pogačar, clad in pink from head-to-toe, on a matching Colnago finished safely in the main pack during the ceremonial final stage in Rome, securing a 9:56 lead over runner-up Daniel Martinez. Geraint Thomas placed third, 10:24 behind.
The Tour beckons
Next up is the Tour de France. The Team UAE – Emirates rider made it clear before the start of the season that he wanted to do the Giro-Tour double, something that no male cyclist has done since 1998. That was the late Marco Pantani.
Pogi has also said he wanted to win the Triple Crown of cycling this year. That’s the first two Grand Tours and the world championships. Before 1995, not only winning all three, but simply competing them was impossible. The Vuelta a España moved to August that year. Before that, the race was traditionally held in the spring, typically in April or May. The change was made to position the Vuelta as a more attractive option for riders who also compete in the Tour de France and the Giro d’Italia.
On the Vuelta
Still, Pogačar is adamant he won’t go for the triple. “But I can assure you that the Vuelta is not on my program this year,” he said in an interview with Eurosport. “It’s definitely on my wish list to win every Grand Tour, but I don’t think it’s realistic to do that in the same year. Races that I haven’t ridden or won before do attract my special attention.”
However, you’d think if he does win the Tour and the Giro, the idea may pop into his head.
“I like new challenges to maintain a certain sharpness. But I’m always realistic. Every race requires adaptability,” 25-year-old said. “It is not the case that starting also means a great chance of winning. Every rider will agree that it’s not easy to ride a lot of races in one year.”
Rainbow glory
Despite winning the 107th Giro d’Italia on Sunday, Pogačar remains steadfast in his plan for the rest of the year.”The Tour and the World Championships are the absolute main goals for me,” he said. “That’s not just the case this year, it’s actually every year. I don’t feel a lot of pressure, because I’m still young and I know I have what it takes to become world champion one…
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