Giro d'Italia 2024: Tadej Pogacar form raises 'huge questions' despite Stage 2 win - 'We did see some grimaces'
/dnl.tntsports.co.uk/sd/img/placeholder/tnt_logo_1x1.png){kind=logo}
Published 06/05/2024 at 13:44 GMT+1
A win on Stage 2 of the Giro d'Italia for Tadej Pogacar was perhaps expected given the Slovenian star is the heavy favourite for the race. However, Eurosport's Breakaway team picked up on signs that Pogacar might not be at his best at the first Grand Tour of the year. Pogacar is in pink for Stage 3, which is expected to be a day for the sprinters.
'Big question marks' - The Breakaway team debate how 'sharp' Pogacar is
Video credit: TNT Sports
Despite victory on Stage 2 of the Giro d’Italia and taking the maglia rosa, there are "huge question marks" over Tadej Pogacar’s form, according to 12-time Giro stage winner Robbie McEwen.
The UAE Team Emirates superstar recovered from a puncture and slow-speed crash to take the stage win and GC lead, finishing 27 seconds ahead of Dani Martinez (EF Education First) in Oropa.
However, Eurosport’s Breakaway panel debated if the Slovenian is riding at his best and how he will manage the Giro and the Tour de France as he aims to double up at the first two Grand Tours of the year.
Having pulled off stunning victories at Strade Bianche, Liege-Bastogne-Liege as well as winning the Volta a Catalunya, the 25-year-old was odds-on favourite to triumph at the Giro, but his performance on Stage 2 could indicate that it might not be as straightforward as many are expecting.
“For the first time this year really, we've seen that gap close a little bit,” noted Adam Blythe. “And it wasn't like Pogacar settled before the line, he went right across it and celebrated.”
Dan Lloyd added: “I think that's where all the questions have been coming, isn't it? How sharp was Pogacar compared to the races that he did on the run-in to the Giro? He did 10 days of racing, but he looked so sharp on every single one of them.
“Yes, he won. But as you pointed out, only by this much, not as much as perhaps a lot of us were expecting, and we did see some grimaces from him towards the finish line yesterday.
“It didn't look as though he'd just ridden up at 90% of his capabilities on the day and was thinking about the long haul, three weeks and not going too deep. To me, it looked like he was at least at 98%. Maybe even more than that.”
/origin-imgresizer.tntsports.io/2024/05/05/3962507-80444848-2560-1440.png)
Highlights: Pogacar claims dramatic victory on Stage 2 after crash
Video credit: TNT Sports
Pogacar’s Stage 2 win was not without drama as he crashed at the foot of the final climb, but was able to regain contact with the peloton, and his attack in the last 5km saw him sail to victory.
“Do you know what's mad is that he lost his bike computer in that crash, got the spare bike, and he didn't have that on,” added Blythe.
“A lot of riders do ride on numbers now and he didn't have the computer. Obviously knows he's going to have to judge it. But he might have been riding above what he thought was his time.”
“Or below it, or thought he was riding at it,” interjected Robbie McEwan who pondered whether the two-time time Tour de France winner is keeping his powder dry for the second Grand Tour of the year which begins in late June.
“There's a lot of speculation he's not as sharp as he was. He hasn’t been distancing them with his initial attacks, like we've been used to seeing.
/origin-imgresizer.tntsports.io/2024/05/05/3962403-80442773-2560-1440.jpg)
Watch: Pogacar goes turbo on Stage 2 to leave field in his wake
Video credit: TNT Sports
“It's just really hard to tell if he's being a little bit conservative with everything he's got in front of a long Giro, the Tour that he wants to try and win as well, or if it's just a case of he can't do much better than he's doing at the moment.
“Is he going to get worse? Is he going to improve during the Giro? Huge question marks and it's going to be entertaining to watch nonetheless.”
- - -
Stream top cycling action, including all three 2024 Grand Tours, live on discovery+, the Eurosport app and at eurosport.com
Share this article
Related Topics
Advertisement
Advertisement