Tadej Pogačar is getting closer, but the Slovenian had to settle for second place at the Giro dell’Emilia on Saturday as his compatriot Primož Roglič powered to his third victory atop the Colle della Guardia.
After placing second overall at the Tour de France and third at the World Championships road race, Pogačar opted against competing at the Vuelta a España and the Canadian WorldTour races, preferring instead to complete his season with a series of one-day events in Italy.
Pogačar took fourth at the Giro della Toscana and third at the Coppa Sabatini earlier this month, and he lined up among the favourites for Saturday’s Giro dell’Emilia, which boasted a field of considerable depth.
UAE Team Emirates duly took up the reins in the finale, with Pogačar’s teammate Adam Yates whittling down the front group on the penultimate ascent of the San Luca and then shutting down Aleksandr Vlasov’s acceleration on the final climb.
That was the cue for Pogačar to sprint into action, and he launched a long, searing acceleration with a kilometre or so to go. Earlier in the year, that kind of attack tended to overwhelm even the most elite opposite. This time out, Richard Carapaz (EF Education-EasyPost) and Roglič were able to hold his wheel.
“I think that was a wrong decision,” Pogačar admitted to Eurosport of his attack, which eventually petered out near the summit.
When Pogačar relented, Roglič sensed his opportunity and he kicked away with 300m remaining to claim an emphatic victory on the same day that he confirmed his imminent departure from Jumbo-Visma. Pogačar, meanwhile, came home a second down in second place, with Simon Yates (Jayco-Alula) taking third.
“I felt good, but I think that was the mistake of today,” Pogačar said of his attack. “But at least today I was able to attack. In the previous two editions, I was a DNF [in 2021] and I couldn’t even follow [in 2022], so I would say today was a good day in general for me.”
This weekend last year, Pogačar also placed second at the Giro dell’Emilia, eleven seconds behind Enric Mas (Movistar), but he would finish his season on a high note by landing Tre Valli Varesine and Il Lombardia.
The two races are also on Pogačar’s schedule this season, and he will be chasing a third straight win – and a fifth Monument victory – at Il Lombardia next Saturday.
“I would say every year I’m a bit better and a bit closer to the victory here,” Pogačar said. “It was a good day today, we did really a great job with the team. In the end we were sprinting, but Primož was way too fast. I must say that the legs are spinning good for the next two races.”
On Saturday’s evidence, Pogačar will face stiff competition in his final two races from Roglič, who won Tre Valli Varesine in 2019. Despite his obvious aptitude for the race, however, Roglič has never enjoyed success at Il Lombardia, where his highest placing was fourth in 2021.
“If I remember good in the past, I already won the two races before it, but I’ve never been good in Lombardy,” Roglič said after winning the Giro dell’Emilia. “But one race is already in the pocket and now I have to be relaxed and wait for the next ones.”
