UCI Road World Championships 2024: Tadej Pogacar wins elite men's road race to complete remarkable triple crown triumph
Updated 29/09/2024 at 17:34 GMT+1
Tadej Pogacar clinched victory in a thrilling 2024 UCI Road World Championships in Zurich as the Slovenian created another piece of history by completing a remarkable triple crown. The 26-year-old launched a decisive attack with 100km of road remaining and never really looked like relinquishing his lead despite a late wobble, as he added a first rainbow jersey to his impressive palmares.
Pogacar launches attack with 100 kilometres still to go in World Championship road race
Video credit: TNT Sports
The favourite to complete a feat of professional cycling that has not been achieved in almost four decades, Tadej Pogacar surprised few in doing it, but many by the manner with which he pulled it off.
Teammate Jan Tratnik was up the road in the breakaway when, 100km from the finish, the Tour de France champion launched what he later described as “a stupid attack,” on the steepest section of the Zurich circuit.
He proceeded to make his way across to the front of the race, enjoyed some time with limited support, and a short spell with a single ally, before soloing to an astonishing victory.
At 274km in length and comprising almost 4500m of climbing, the Zurich course was, on paper, one of the hardest in memory.
A single loop of the start town of Winterthus was to be followed by a journey south to Zurich before six laps of a challenging 26km finishing circuit.
It took almost an hour-and-a-half for the breakaway to fully form and when it did it was composed of pedigreed riders from strong nations.
Silvan Dillier (Switzerland), Tobias Foss (Norway), Simon Geshke (Germany), Rui Oliveira (Portugal), Piotr Pekala (Poland) and Luc Wirtgen (Luxembourg) had between them enough experience to make a fight of it, even as they could have few expectations of going the distance.
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‘All-round wizard’ Pogacar claims rainbow jersey to complete triple crown of victories
Video credit: TNT Sports
Belgium and Slovenia, the teams of favourites Remco Evenepoel and Tadej Pogacar, respectively, took to the task of keeping the breakers in line. Arriving in Zurich with 185km of the race to go, the six held a lead of 5’26.
One minute of that was taken in the next 15km. Another 40 seconds had gone just 5km later, with Victor Campenaerts laying it down for Belgium.
One lap down, they were holding strong before a move from the star of the Vuelta, Spain’s Pablo Castrillo, lit the race into life with 130km to go. His attack, though unsuccessful in itself, inspired others to follow.
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It led to a second, super escape made up of a veritable “who’s who” of strong chasers. All the big teams but Netherlands and Spain were represented.
The riders in it were not any of the most likely winners so Belgium and Slovenia maintained a reasonable tempo for the next 30km.
Then, at 100km to go, came the move everyone expected but at the moment no-one expected it.
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Pogacar launches attack with 100 kilometres still to go in World Championship road race
Video credit: TNT Sports
Pogacar’s attack, on the steep section of the Witikon climb, was surely too early, even for him. In his first race of the season, Strade Bianche, Pogacar went solo from 80km out.
He quickly made a dent in what remained of the new, larger break’s advantage, but soon found himself in what looked no-man’s land.
His teammate, Jan Tratnik, dropped back to ease his passage to the front, where he found himself with few likely allies and after Tratnik emptied himself, Pogacar had little choice but to rip it all to pieces, all over again.
UAE Team Emirates comrade Pavel Sivakov (France) was the only rider willing and able to go with him, doing so for a further 30km until, with 50km remaining, he could give no more. Pogacar found himself alone, facing the inevitable.
Meanwhile, from the confused rabble behind, Ben Healy (Ireland) and Toms Skujins (Latvia) formed a strong chase duo, while Belgium burned through Remco Evenepoel's support resources.
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‘An incredible day’ – Pogacar in disbelief after becoming world champion
Video credit: TNT Sports
As he closed in on the final lap, Pogacar had extended his advantage to over a minute, and was doing what he has been seen to do so many times this season. It looked to be all but over.
He took the bell and moved onto the final ascents of the last pair of climbs, where he was expected to gain more time over the rest, where their morale would surely collapse.
That was not what happened, however - the on-screen clock showed him losing seconds. By the top of the Witikon, his lead had almost halved and he might even have been visible to those chasing behind.
He managed to steady the ship, and as Skujins and Healy were caught by the remains of the peloton including Van der Poel and Evenepoel, all cooperation that had been cobbled together almost immediately fell away once more.
As the rest began to fight it out for podium places, Pogacar rode away to claim a first rainbow jersey and seal a perfect season.
Ben O’Connor timed a late attack on the run-in to steal second place, while Mathieu van der Poel won a select sprint for an impressive bronze a year after he took gold in Glasgow.
"I cannot believe what just happened," Pogacar said afterwards. "The race unfolded pretty quick.
"There was a dangerous breakaway and I maybe did a stupid attack, but luckily Jan was there with me. I never gave up until the final. It was an incredible day."
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