Tadej Pogačar’s Triumphant Spring Season
Tadej Pogačar, the current world champion, rounded off an impressive spring season with his third victory at Liège–Bastogne–Liège. Just a few days after winning the Fleche Wallonne, the Slovenian cyclist dominated in the 111th edition of the oldest classic race, crossing the finish line in Liège with a significant lead. This was Pogačar’s third win in the Ardennes, adding to his victories in 2021 and 2024.
After 252 km of racing, Pogačar expressed his satisfaction with ending the first part of the season on a high note, highlighting his contentment with a perfect season so far. He secured the victory with a solo attack, finishing with a lead of 1:03 minutes over Italian cyclist Giulio Ciccone, while Irish cyclist Ben Healy took third place.
Pogačar’s winning strategy included an attack roughly 35 kilometers before the finish line on the Côte de la Redoute, distancing himself from his competitors. The anticipated showdown with Remco Evenepoel did not materialize, as the Belgian cyclist finished significantly behind, in 59th place with a gap of 3:11 minutes behind Pogačar.
Impressive Achievements and Historic Moment
With victories at Liège–Bastogne–Liège, Fleche Wallonne, and Tour of Flanders, as well as previous podium finishes at Strade Bianche, Pogačar concluded his classic campaign for the season. He also achieved podium results in his Roubaix debut and Amstel Gold Race, as well as a third-place finish at Milan-Sanremo. It is important to note that Pogačar became the first cyclist to achieve podium results in 6 consecutive major cycling monuments.
Furthermore, Pogačar made history by becoming the second cyclist, after cycling legend Eddy Merckx in 1972, to win Liège–Bastogne–Liège a year after securing victories at the Tour de France and World Championships. This achievement highlights Pogačar’s outstanding performance and solidifies his place among cycling greats.
In terms of the future, Pogačar will skip the Giro d’Italia to focus on upcoming races, with the final monument of the year, Lombardia Tour, scheduled for October 11th. As the new generation of cyclists, led by Pogačar, continues to chase victories reminiscent of legends like Merckx, the future of cycling looks bright.
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