Given the preceding two weeks it was no surprise that the 107th Giro d’Italia came to its expected conclusion. Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) came to the start as the stand out favourite, took the race lead on the second day and never looked to be under any great pressure to relinquish the Maglia Rosa. The speculation after the first rest day that UAE Team Emirates might be open to someone else heading the GC standings for a while proved to be just that. A consequence of the race structure meant there were always other teams interested in controlling affairs when Pogačar’s squad didn’t need to do that, so despite the rumours the Slovenian remained in pink. I know I’ve said it before but given how he attacked on the opening stage I think he would have quite liked to have led from start to finish. A la Merckx. The comparisons certainly stack up, taking six stages like Eddy Merckx did in ’63 though only two classifications instead of three for the Belgian superstar. However an almost ten minute lead outdoes even the Cannibal.
