Pogacar goes down all guns blazing in Itzulia Basque Country

Itzulia Basque Country
Tadej Pogacar (Image credit: Getty Image)

In all the understandable fuss about Primož Roglič's (Jumbo-Visma) dramatic last-minute return to the top of this year’s Itzulia Basque Country GC, another final twist of the race’s complex plot-line almost went unnoticed, when Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) ousted Pello Bilbao (Bahrain-Victorious) from third overall.

Pogačar’s dispatching of Bilbao took place halfway up the final climb, the Arrate, when the umpteenth lifting of pace by the Slovenian saw the Basque racer struggle and lose 28 seconds by the line.

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.

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