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PARIS – The Tour de France is misplaced, however for Tadej Pogačar, the wheels hold spinning.
When the peloton hit the Champs-Élysées on Sunday, who attacked? Pogačar, after all.
Twenty-four hours earlier on the steep slopes of Le Markstein in stage 20, the Pogačar everybody is aware of and loves — besides possibly his rivals — was again.
A second stage victory of the race signaled a return to type, even when it didn’t change his second place total end behind Jonas Vingegaard.
The Pogačar we – and he – is used to seeing returned.
“Feeling like myself once more was crucial factor, and that’s why my smile is again,” Pogačar stated.
Additionally learn: Tour de France training takeaways from the coaches of Vingegaard and Pogačar
What’s subsequent for the racer who can win nearly each race?
You’d assume he would possibly fancy a while on the seaside, however his eye is on the world championships in Glasgow in two weeks’ time.
“I don’t promise something, however I’d prefer to [go],” he stated.
“When you requested me two days in the past, I’d say positively no. However I’ll come dwelling subsequent week and attempt to loosen up just a little bit, see how I really feel. I at all times love to do world championships. This yr is a bit difficult, it’s actually a nasty second within the season however we’ll see.”
Pogačar and Vingegaard fought tooth-and-nail for the primary fortnight of the 2023 Tour. The Slovenian recovered from a stage 5 time lack of over a minute to win on Cauterets 24 hours later.
The Jumbo-Visma chief turned a 10-second divide right into a seven-minute chasm with an emphatic time-trial win and show on the Col de la Loze on stage 17.
“This Tour, he had two actually nice days and I simply couldn’t match his efficiency these two days. Then at some point, I had one of many worst performances of all,” Pogačar stated.
There’s the impression that his wrist damage affected his run-up to the race and the 2024 Tour de France is already on his thoughts.
“If all the pieces goes to plan subsequent yr, I’ll attempt to come again. I hope I can come again stronger and with out damage, however you by no means know in biking,” he stated. “We are going to simply go daily and attempt to have the perfect preparation for subsequent time, for the following battle with Jonas and Jumbo.”
Giro time?
Pogačar has the polyvalence to win just about any bike race.
Trying to 2024 and past, there’s the Giro d’Italia and Vuelta a España, grand excursions he’s but to win or totally concentrate on.
“The Giro is one in all my favourite races of all of them and I nonetheless didn’t take part in it. It’s exhausting, however the Tour de France is the most important of all of them,” he stated.
“Coming two occasions second now, I feel the starvation to win it once more is there. Particularly coming second this yr with all the pieces that occurred, I feel I simply attempt to put together it as greatest as I can for subsequent yr.
“It’s a disgrace that on this biking world, it’s actually exhausting to do Giro and Tour and go for GC in each, so we’ll see. I don’t promise something concerning the calendar subsequent yr: the Tour de France nonetheless has at some point to go and and we take pleasure in this second.”
No Vuelta for Pogačar
As for the Vuelta a España this yr? Neglect about it.
“It was by no means within the equation and won’t come into it now,” UAE-Crew Emirates normal supervisor Mauro Gianetti instructed Velo.
“We hold the plan: we’ll be there with Ayuso who’s solely 20. He confirmed final yr he’s progressing nicely. Joao Almeida, Jay Vine too, so we have now group.”
In response to Gianetti, Pogačar’s calendar in 2023 will comprise of one-day races and can run till Il Lombardia.
Does Pogačar want a break after the packed yr he’s had? “I feel in all probability he wants break mentally,” Gianetti says. “I feel probably the most aggravating interval for him was not right here within the Tour, however the 5 weeks stopped with out the potential for using a motorcycle.
“He’s a bike owner, he likes using a motorcycle,” he stated. “Watching his rivals using theirs when he couldn’t was a giant second of stress. Now he deserves a little bit of a relaxed.”
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