Giro d’Italia leader Tadej Pogačar justifies staying near front in bunch sprint - ‘I always ride like this’

FRANCAVILLA AL MARE ITALY MAY 15 LR Rui Oliveira of Portugal and Tadej Pogacar of Slovenia and UAE Team Emirates Pink Leader Jersey ride whilst eating during the 107th Giro dItalia 2024 Stage 11 a 207km stage from Foiano di val Fortore to Francavilla al mare UCIWT on May 15 2024 in Francavilla al mare Italy Photo by Dario BelingheriGetty Images
Maglia rosa Tadej Pogačar rides with UAE Team Emirates teammate Rui Oliveira during stage 11 at the Giro d'Italia (Image credit: Dario Belingheri/Getty Images)

When the bright pink figure of Tadej Pogačar stayed close to the front of the Giro d’Italia peloton on the bunch sprint finale of stage 12, it instantly sparked speculation that he might be aiming to repeat his lead out at Naples for UAE Team Emirates fastman Juan Sebastian Molano. But that wasn’t the case.

As Pogačar explained afterwards, the Giro leader’s main aim in a fraught, chaotic bunch sprint into Francavilla al Mare was to stay out of trouble, and his presence in the front 10 to 15 riders was purely and simply with that aim in mind.

Alasdair Fotheringham

Alasdair Fotheringham has been reporting on cycling since 1991. He has covered every Tour de France since 1992 bar one, as well as numerous other bike races of all shapes and sizes, ranging from the Olympic Games in 2008 to the now sadly defunct Subida a Urkiola hill climb in Spain. As well as working for Cyclingnews, he has also written for The IndependentThe GuardianProCycling, The Express and Reuters.