Image 1 of 31
The 2024 UCI Road World Championships witnessed historical past within the making on Sunday as Tadej Pogačar grew to become the primary rider in 37 years to observe up this season’s victories within the Giro d’Italia, Tour de France with a gold medal and the rainbow jersey within the elite males’s street race.
The Slovenian claimed biking’s Triple Crown in devastating model, breaking away from the primary peloton with 100 kilometres to go, blasting via a 16-rider transfer then going solo some 50 kilometres from the road.
Pogačar seemed briefly to be in hassle as his hole dipped under 40 seconds on the ultimate lap, however he nonetheless remained clear for Slovenia’s first ever street race gold medal, his twenty third win of the 2024 season, and one other big step in the direction of turning into a legend of the game.
The silver medal went to late attacker Ben O’Connor (Australia), crossing the road 31 seconds behind, with defending champion Mathieu van der Poel (Netherlands) then claiming the bronze.
But in some of the beautiful World Championships rides within the race’s historical past, the day in biking, the 12 months and maybe even the last decade all belonged to Pogačar.
“I can not consider what simply occurred, after this type of season, I put a whole lot of strain on myself for at this time. I had strain from myself, from the workforce, we got here right here for the victory.
“The race unfolded fairly fast and there was a harmful break within the entrance, I possibly did a silly assault, fortunately Jan [Tratnik] was there with me and I by no means gave up till the ultimate. It’s an unbelievable day, I can not consider what occurred.”
Pogačar confirmed that his assault at 100 kilometres to go, an infinite distance even by the Slovenian’s requirements, had not been deliberate.
“Of course,it was not deliberate. We had deliberate to maintain race underneath management however the race went fairly early and I do not know what I used to be pondering and I simply went additionally, I went with the circulate and fortunately I made it, but it surely was so powerful.”
“For positive I needed this title, after a few years preventing for the Tour de France and different races, I by no means had a World Championships as a pure objective, and this 12 months every part went easily already.
“After an ideal season, this was a giant objective to win the World Championships and I can not consider it occurred, I’ve to thank the entire workforce, with out them it might not have been potential and I’m tremendous pleased with the nationwide workforce.”
More to return
Results powered by FirstCycling