There are rumors circulating about a possible change in Tadej Pogacar’s strategy in 2024, following two consecutive years without winning a Grand Tour. Jayco AlUla team manager Matthew White expressed skepticism about the Slovenian’s participation in the Giro d’Italia.
When the route and profile of the first Grand Tour of 2024 were revealed, seemingly ideal for a cyclist like Pogacar, White stated, “Unless there’s a concrete agreement, I doubt the Giro organizers would have made it easy for a competitor,” maintaining the position that the Maillot Jaune (Yellow Jersey) will remain Pogacar’s primary goal, as he told the British channel GCN.
“It’s possible to do the Giro and the Tour, but there’s always the risk of entering the Giro without knowing what the weather will be like and without knowing how deep you’ll have to go to win. You simply don’t know how you’ll come out of the Giro before having to do it all over again in the Tour.”
Other big stars in UAE Team Emirates
“At UAE Team Emirates, they’re also trying to manage some stars,” he observes. “They have Adam Yates, João Almeida, Juan Ayuso… all good riders for three weeks. So, they’re not managing just one rider. They have many stars on their team, so if Pogacar goes to the Tour and the Giro as the leader, what will the others do?”
Roglic is also unlikely to compete in the Giro
According to White, the Slovenian is also expected to focus only on the Tour de France. “I can’t imagine Roglic doing the Giro either. He’s the current champion, but his age gives him a limited number of Tours. He’s robust enough to attempt the double, but the only thing left in his palmarès is the Tour de France. So, why risk going to the Giro and risking not being in his best condition at the Tour de France?”