There’s no shame in finishing second to Tadej Pogačar – that’s the message from XDS Astana’s Alberto Bettiol, who has said the world champion is “almost impossible to beat” in the lead-up to Strade Bianche.
Pogačar is the overwhelming favourite to win the Italian Classic on Saturday, having already won it twice in his career with long-range attacks. Faced with the prospect of another Slovenian onslaught, Bettiol said “there’s nothing we can do” to stave it off.
