Tadej Pogačar is dominating the 2024 Giro d’Italia, but there is always a reason for every attack and every victory. He is a cannibal but doesn’t just want to win for the sake of it or to embarrass his rivals, and there are emotions and reasons for everything he does.
Pogačar’s fourth stage victory in this year’s Corsa Rosa at the Mottolino ski station above Livigno was very personal. He pointed to the sky as he crossed the line and then raised his arms in celebration as he realised what he had done.
He had gained a further three minutes on Geraint Thomas and Dani Martinez, extending his GC lead to six minutes but that was only a consequence of his actions and complimentary to his happiness.
“I'm super happy to be here again and to win the Queen stage here in Livigno,” he said, his smile and satisfaction far greater than the fatigue of his effort as he recalled his personal memories of time spent training high in the Alps near the tax-free porto franco town near the border with Switzerland.
“I've been here a lot of times. Livigno is a special place for me. The first time was as a first junior. We were in St Moritz for a training camp with the national team for 10 days, that was what we could afford: one house all together. We came here to Livigno with a broken old van for fuel because it's cheaper and to buy some food. That was my first time in Livigno and then I’ve come back almost every year.
“I also have one of the nicest memories of my life in Livigno, it was when I started dating for real, with my fiance Urška. It was our first date back then, it was a beautiful moment of my life.”
It was clear from the start of the 22km Queen stage that Pogačar really wanted to win in Livigno. His UAE Team Emirates squad rode to keep the attacks under control and within reach. Then Pogačar took off alone in the final kilometres of the Passo di Foscagno climb.
Georg Steinhauser (EF Education-EasyPost) and Nairo Quintana (Movistar) were ahead of him, but he mercilessly caught them and distanced them, surging up the temporary road to the Mottolino ski station.
Pogačar gained another three minutes on his GC rivals, with Geraint Thomas (Ineos Grenadiers), Dani Martinez (Bora-Hansgrohe) and Ben O’Connor (Decathlon AG2R) at, respectively, 6:41, 6:56 and 7:43 down on the Slovenian.
It is the biggest time gap after 15 stages of the Giro d’Italia since 1954 when eventual winner Gianni Clerici led by 14:18 on Gerrit Voorting. Pogačar’s lead and his dominance are more similar to that of Eddy Merckx in 1973. He led by 6:39 after stage 15 and went on to beat Felice Gimnodi by 7:42.
Pogačar has led the general classification since winning stage 2 to Oropa two weeks ago and has won three stages in the maglia rosa. The last male rider to do so was Simon Yates in 2018. The last to win more was Eddy Merckx, who won five stages in pink in 1973, and Learco Guerra, who dominated back in 1934.
It was suggested to Pogačar that he has now won the Giro d’Italia or at least killed off the hopes of his rivals, a week before the final stage in Rome.
Thomas Martinez, O’Connor and others are already racing for the podium spots, but Pogačar is playfully superstitious.
“Don’t jinx it. Don't, don't jinx it. There’s still six stages to go,” he said.
“I'm super happy with the big gap. But let's not think ahead of ourselves. Let's go day by day and see the situation. You never know what will happen, so knock on the wood.
“I'm super happy where I am, super happy with the team, super happy with everything. Let's try to bring it to Rome as it is. For sure, we can be more tranquillo and go stage by stage, seeing how the team feels.”
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