Tadej Pogačar returned home from his triumph at Liège-Bastogne-Liège, opting to spend his pre-Giro d’Italia preparation in Monte Carlo instead of at altitude. The Slovenian rider expressed confidence in his training and reconnaissance, believing he is well-prepared to challenge for the maglia rosa in May. “I hope I’m in good shape, but I think I can still improve a little,” said Pogačar, who carpooled home with his partner Urška Žigart and fellow Monte Carlo residents Michael Matthews and Davide Formolo.
Pogačar is making his Giro d’Italia debut this year, marking the first time he will race hard in May and attempt the Giro-Tour double in a single season. The 25-year-old has only competed for ten days in 2024, but his impressive record includes seven victories, including Strade Bianche, Liège-Bastogne-Liège, four stages at the Volta a Catalunya, and the overall classification. Pogačar has participated in five Grand Tours, finishing third on his debut at the 2019 Vuelta a España, before winning the Tour de France in 2020 and 2021, and finishing second to Jonas Vingegaard in 2022 and 2023.
Pogačar’s victory at Liège-Bastogne-Liège brings his career total to 70 victories, including six monument Classics, a feat only previously achieved by Eddy Merckx at a younger age. “When you’re the world’s number one ranked rider, it’s not easy to improve, but I think we’re seeing the best-ever Tadej Pogačar in every possible way,” said UAE Team Emirates sport manager Joxean Fernandez Matxin.
Pogačar and his UAE Team Emirates teammates are expected to arrive in Turin for the Giro d’Italia Grande Partenza next Wednesday, allowing for final training and reconnaissance. The official team presentation will take place on Thursday evening at the Castello del Valentino on the banks of the river Po.
While UAE Team Emirates has yet to announce their final eight-rider Giro d’Italia team, Rafal Majka, Felix Grossschartner, Mikkel Bjerg, Juan Sebastian Molano, Rui Oliveira, and Domen Novak are likely to be included. Vegard Stake Laengen is anticipated to replace Jan Vine after the Australian’s crash at Itzulia Basque Country.
Pogačar, like many of his overall rivals, has studied crucial stages, including stage 6 to Rapolano Terme, featuring gravel sectors on Tuscany roads, key time trials, and the challenging mountain stage to Livigno high in the Alps. He has also previewed the Prati di Tivo mountain finish, having won a stage of Tirreno-Adriatico there in 2021.
The 107th Giro d’Italia commences on Saturday, May 4, with a 140 km road race stage starting at the Venaria Reale palace outside Turin and concluding in central Turin after tackling the Superga and Colle Maddalena climbs before a rapid descent to the finish on the banks of the Po. Stage 2 concludes at the Oropa Sanctuary, marking the earliest major mountain finish at the Giro d’Italia since the race began in Sicily in 1989 and ascended Mount Etna. The Oropa finish commemorates the 25th anniversary of Marco Pantani’s renowned victory on the climb to the sanctuary in 1999, where he famously dropped his chain at the climb’s base but surged past his rivals. Although the Oropa climb is not exceptionally long or steep at 11.8km and 6.2%, Tom Dumoulin distanced his competitors there in 2017, and Pogačar may attempt to win the stage and seize the race leader’s maglia rosa.
“You can’t hold back that day; a stage like that shapes the GC standings, so the overall contenders can’t hide,” said UAE Team Emirates team manager Mauro Gianetti. If Pogačar claims the maglia rosa on stage 2, it could set the tone for the rest of the Giro d’Italia, with the Slovenian potentially dominating the race all the way to Rome. “The maglia rosa is the maglia rosa; if you let it go, you have to get it back,” said Gianetti, hinting at UAE Team Emirates’ race strategy.
