The Giro d’Italia and the Tour de France will have Tadej Pogacar at the starting line. Vincenzo Nibali, one of the cyclists who achieved this feat in the past, expressed his opinion on the Slovenian’s decision.
“The start of the Giro isn’t so easy, and he can quickly gain a good advantage, with the stage to Oropa, the dirt roads in Rapolano Terme, and the summit finish at Prati di Tivo.”
“The time trials won’t be a problem for him, and with a strong team, he could manage the final week,” Nibali told Gazzetta dello Sport.
“I’m not surprised. After four years racing the Tour, winning two editions, it’s a correct and logical decision. Mentally, it’s good to change goals. Adding the Giro would be a step closer to winning all three Grand Tours. He would only miss the Vuelta. A rider like him has to try.”
Pink Race
At 25, Pogacar is now setting his sights on the Corsa Rosa. After four years of exclusive dedication to the Tour, in addition to participating in other stage races and Classics throughout the year, he will take his Grand Tour skills to a new level.
In the Giro, he will lead the UAE Team Emirates alone, while in the Tour, he will join a constellation of superstars, where the team will pursue a different approach to seek victory in the overall classification.
Outras corridas na Itália
“Pogacar could easily delay his season debut by participating in the Strade Bianche and Milan-Sanremo, but I think he will have to sacrifice races like Paris-Nice and Tirreno-Adriatico. Maybe he could include Liège-Bastogne-Liège in preparation for the start of the Giro, but not much more,” said Nibali.
The former Italian professional concludes by revealing that for him, combining such a schedule has always been a difficult task.
“I never managed to deal with two major races so close: first the stress of the Giro and then the pressure of the Tour,” he said. However, if the Slovenian wins in Italy, “he would arrive at the Tour with a great result in hand and wouldn’t carry the burden of being obliged to win the Tour.”
