On Sunday the two most dominant stage race riders in the men’s WorldTour over the last four years, Slovenians Primož Roglič and Tadej Pogačar, wrapped up their respective titles, having won them with panache and style. It was Pogačar’s first Paris-Nice yellow jersey and Roglič’s second trident of Neptune trophy at Tirreno-Adriatico. Pogačar took three stage wins, two on summit finishes, along the way, while Roglič earned a natural hat trick of victories in Italy.
On Sunday, the race having found the sun, Pogačar attacked on the last of five climbs over 118 km and soloed away into Nice to his third stage victory. He earned the points and young rider jerseys along with the yellow. In thirteen 2023 race days Pogačar has nine wins including two GC titles. Hugo Houle was in another breakaway on Sunday and finished 30th on GC, Israel-Premier Tech’s best result.
Roglič polished off his Race of the Two Seas triumph on a course that resembled a ragged toothbrush, the final 70 km its handle. It wasn’t the sort of parcours that would elicit an assault on his GC lead. Unfortunately, Tom Pidcock crashed out early in the day. Jasper Philipsen took his second sprint victory of the 2023 edition. Jumbo-Visma’s Slovenian took home the KOM and points jerseys as well as the blue winner’s kit.
Today is the last day of racing in Tirreno-Adriatico. It’s a day for the sprinters and we are ready to back @GiacomoNizzolo 👊
⏰ 12:15
🛣️ 154 km
🏁 16:30
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🇮🇹 #TirrenoAdriatico pic.twitter.com/2Z4rtZnOQQ— Israel – Premier Tech (@IsraelPremTech) March 12, 2023
Since 2019 Pogacar has taken eight WorldTour stage races including two Tours de France. Since 2018 Roglic has claimed 12 WorldTour stage races including three Vueltas a España.
Next up for Roglic is the Volta a Catalunya on his way to the Giro d’Italia. Pogacar will target several one-day Classics and Monuments like Milan-San Remo, the Tour of Flanders and Liege-Bastogne-Liege on his road to the Tour de France.
2023 Paris-Nice Final GC
1) Tadej Pogačar (Slovenia/UAE-Emirates) 24:01:38
2) David Gaudu (France/Groupama-FDJ) +0:53
3) Jonas Vingegaard (Denmark/Jumbo-Visma) +1:39
30) Hugo Houle (Canada/Israel-Premier Tech) +28:44
2023 Tirreno-Adriatico Final GC
1) Primož Roglič (Slovenia/Jumbo-Visma) 25:06:21
2) João Almeida (Portugal/UAE-Emirates) +0:18
3) Tao Geoghegan Hart (Great Britain/Ineos) +0:23
20) Michael Woods…
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