'This is cycling in 2024' – Nobody expects Tadej Pogačar to share the pie at Giro d'Italia

Tadej Pogačar at the Giro d'Italia
Tadej Pogačar at the Giro d'Italia (Image credit: Getty Images)

Tadej Pogačar is seemingly incapable of taking a day off. Stage 11 of the Giro d’Italia to Francavilla al Mare ended in the inevitable bunch sprint, but the maglia rosa still couldn’t help but throw himself headlong into the fray, riding in the front positions deep into the final kilometre in support of his UAE Team Emirates companion Juan Sebastian Molano.

It’s doubtful that an entire Giro has been eclipsed by a single rider to the same extent since the turn of the century when Marco Pantani’s every move flooded the airwaves and dominated newspaper headlines day after day on the corsa rosa.

Barry Ryan
Head of Features

Barry Ryan was Head of Features at Cyclingnews. He has covered professional cycling since 2010, reporting from the Tour de France, Giro d’Italia and events from Argentina to Japan. His writing has appeared in The Independent, Procycling and Cycling Plus. He is the author of The Ascent: Sean Kelly, Stephen Roche and the Rise of Irish Cycling’s Golden Generation, published by Gill Books.