Tadej Pogačar wasn’t at the presentation of the 2024 Giro d’Italia, but his presence could be felt in Trento’s main theatre, where the route was revealed, as hopes and expectations grew that he could ride the 2024 Corsa Rosa.
Pogačar has always said he would like to target the Giro d’Italia sometime in his career, and there are growing indications that he could try to win the Giro d’Italia and Tour de France in 2024. He and his UAE Team Emirates squad have still to confirm their plans for 2024 but have not ruled out the idea of going for the double.
Marco Pantani was the last rider to win the men's Giro d’Italia and Tour de France in the same season, doing the double in 1998, at the height of his career. In 1999 he was disqualified from the Giro d’Italia after blood tests showed he had a high blood haematocrit. He never returned to his best and died in 2004 after a lethal overdose of cocaine and medication.
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Like every Slovenian, Pogačar grew up often travelling to Italy to race as a young rider and now often rides into Italy during training rides from his base in Monaco.
The route of the 2024 Giro d’Italia seems to suit Pogačar and a shot at cycling’s most prestigious Grand Tour double.
The early mountain finishes and the two time trials give Pogačar a chance to gain time on different rivals, while the 20% reduction in altitude and a similar reduction in stage lengths will surely make the three weeks of racing less demanding and so allow Pogačar to recover and still be at his best for the Tour de France and so take on Jonas Vingegaard and every other GC contender.
“A few riders, only the very best, could perhaps do the double in 2024,” race director Mauro Vegni told Cyclingnews in Trento while insisting no negotiations are underway with UAE Team Emirates to secure Pogačar’s presence in 2024.
“The route wasn’t designed for Pogačar; we’ve simply changed our philosophy on how we design the Giro route. However, this route gives Pogačar the chance to do the double.”
2023 Giro d’Italia winner Primož Roglič was a special guest at the presentation but is unlikely to defend his victory, instead focusing fully on the Tour de France with Bora-Hansgrohe after his transfer from Jumbo-Visma.
He opted to ride the Giro and Vuelta in 2023 and secured victory in the Corsa Rosa on the Monte Lussari climb close to Slovenia, with thousands of Slovenians cheering him on.
He suggested Pogačar should also ride the Giro d’Italia sometime in his career.
“For sure, he should ride the Giro one day,” Roglič told Cyclingnews.
“For us Slovenians, the Giro is special; it’s the closest Grand Tour to Slovenia, and even visits there sometimes. We feel it’s our race a little bit too, and so it’s always beautiful to ride it for us.”
UAE Team Emirates team managers Mauro Gianetti and Andrea Agostini were at the route presentation but tried to play down the expectations that Pogačar will ride the 2024 Giro d’Italia.
The Tour de France is always a huge goal for the team and its sponsors and so any change in objectives and a decision to go for the Giro-Tour double would have to be carefully considered and agreed upon by everyone in the team.
“There’s a lot of speculation that Tadej could ride the Giro d’Italia, but nothing has been decided yet,” Gianetti told Cyclingnews.
“We want to see the route of the Tour de France and then carefully consider things and talk as a team during our first team get-together. Only then will we decide and announce our plans and goals for 2024.”
