Tadej Pogacar is set to claim his first Giro d’Italia title after winning his sixth stage on the second-to-last day of the race. This places him ahead of Geraint Thomas, the Welsh cyclist who marked his 38th birthday on the 20th stage, securing his impending record of being the eldest man to finish on a Giro podium again. Thomas is currently third in the general classification, behind Pogacar and Colombian cyclist Daniel Martinez (Bora-Hansgrohe).
The final stage of the race, a ceremonial one through Rome, could confirm Pogacar’s victory, granted there are no mishaps. The Slovenian cyclist, part of the UAE Team Emirates, is nearly 10 minutes ahead in the maglia rosa standings. A win would make Pogacar potentially the first man to win both the Giro and the Tour de France since Marco Pantani in 1998.
Speaking to Eurosport, Pogacar expressed his satisfaction with his team’s performance and gratitude towards his supporters. He further acknowledged the responsibilities that came with maintaining the pink jersey from stage two onward.
Also set to compete for the first time this year at the Prefontaine Classic are Ingebrigtsen and Kerr. Saturday’s race was a challenging 184km featuring nearly 4,200m of climbing, including two ascents of Monte Grappa.
Thomas suffered a crash on Friday but confirmed his ability to compete in the penultimate stage of this record-breaking edition of the Italian classic. He, however, remains 28 seconds behind Martinez, who is currently around 10 minutes behind Pogacar.
The second place on the penultimate stage went to Valentin Paret-Peintre (Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale), while Martinez secured third place.
The day’s events were not devoid of disputes as overzealous supporters often approached to physically interact with the ultimate victor. Though generally pleased with the amassed backing, the winner was observed chastising one individual for pushing him. Furthermore, the prospect of Pogacar bagging the blue jersey, a recognition for the race’s top climber, seems promising. Moreover, Jonathan Milan from Lidl-Trek currently tops the points classification.