Tadej Pogačar races likes an absolute madman-and it’s awesome

Tadej Pogačar’s style of racing is a joy to watch–he attacks early, he attacks hard, he even attacks…the sprinters?

In the 107th Giro, there were relatively flatter stages, but Monday’s route presented a promising setup for a sprint finish, featuring an early categorized climb and undulating terrain in the final 20 km.

Adding excitement to the finale was a 1.5-kilometre slope with a 5 per cent gradient. With only three kilometres remaining after the summit, it posed a tough test for the sprinters.

However, the dynamics shifted when Tadej Pogačar intervened, responding to an attack by Mikkel Honoré, with Geraint Thomas marking the pink jersey.

Pogačar aggressively pursued his second stage victory, leaving Honoré unable to keep up on the flat road to the finish line, while Thomas struggled to maintain pace.

After a crazy day where they even went in the breakaway, Tim Merlier beat Jonathan Milan in a tight sprint and won the 3rd stage of @giroditalia in Fossano. 👏 Meanwhile, Tadej Pogacar has attacked again, 3 days out 3. 👍😅 #GirodItaliapic.twitter.com/9vi0baEfnY

— Mihai Simion (@faustocoppi60) May 6, 2024

Despite their efforts, the chasing group reeled in Pogacar and Thomas with 500 metres left. From there, Tim Merlier surged towards the finish line, positioning himself on the right side and making a decisive move to fend off Jonathan Milan’s challenge from the left.

The race has only begun, and already Pog is in pink. He could be content to simply finish in the main group–it was only 90 riders by the finale–and save his energy. There’s still plenty of races left–and all kinds of decisive climbs, as well as two time trials.

Traditionally, those who are aiming for the top rung of the G.C. will do what they can to conserve energy in the early stages. But the Slovenian defies tradition. Whether it’s an 80-km attack at Strade Bianche, or today’s attempt to thwart the sprinters, Pogačar races with absolute panache.

Former world champion Phillipe Gilbert commented on the Slovenian’s racing style, saying how great it is to watch.

“It’s not like the era of Chris Froome, there was no panache, it was not nice to see those years. But today, when you see Pogačar racing, it’s another level, you know, it’s really spectacular,” the Belgian said. “It’s almost like bringing cycling back to the sixties and seventies, when Eddy Merckx, when all those guys went a long way from the finish and won with two, three,…