Tadej Pogacar ended his season this weekend with the third victory at Il Lombardia. The Slovenian is building an impressive career, and the Italian newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport wrote an article appealing for Pogacar’s presence at the Giro d’Italia.
“At 25, he has already secured a place among the greats. As Eddy Merckx once said: Besides the Tour de France, there are also other legendary climbs. Like the great ascents in Italy, for example… To make history, you also need the Giro,” wrote the Italian newspaper. The UAE Team Emirates cyclist made his Grand Tour debut at the Vuelta a España in 2019, and his immense quality has compelled his team to include him in the Tour de France every year since then.
The Italians would love it to be already in 2024, with Wout van Aert also considering a possible presence next year. “If you experience it up close, you can only define the greatness of the man who is the leader of a generation of phenomena. Because, unlike Van der Poel and Van Aert, he also wins Grand Tours and is now five Monuments ahead of Vingegaard.”
“Pogacar is an old-fashioned champion because he never slows down and always takes responsibility. He attacks and always finds a way to win. And whoever wins the Il Lombardia can win any other race,” concludes the Italian newspaper.
Two victories and two second places later, Tadej Pogacar has established himself as one of the best cyclists in recent years. Also for his versatility, not only winning Lombardy on three occasions but also several other races, including the Tour of Flanders and Liège-Bastogne-Liège. His quality in the spring classics made the choice of the calendar obvious, but the debut in the Giro d’Italia is a matter of time. Of course, it is not clear if this will be the case in 2024.