Poels says goodbye to Bahrain Victorious after extraordinary final week in Italy: "Pogacar was fed up with it"

"I was looking forward to it," Poels indicated his thoughts before the final week in Italy. "I had also trained well for it. It could have been a nice week, but it was just bad weather. Then those days in the hotel do last a very long time." That lousy weather also injured the Dutchman, although he only found that out later. "During the Giro dell'Emilia, it was cold and rainy. Then, I suffered a minor injury. A tendon in my wrist was inflamed. It wasn't too bad then, but it only worsened after Lombardia. Now I can hardly use my wrist."

Three days after the Giro dell'Emilia, the Tre Valli Varesine was scheduled but canceled due to incessant rain. "There was really no stopping it. Then, there were discussions in the group app of the riders' union, but I knew we would start. That didn't make sense. I've never had so much rain on the bike." Still, partly because of world champion Tadej Pogacar, the race was canceled. 'Pogacar was fed up with it. I have to give him kudos because you need someone like that. Someone who goes to the judges and says, 'Well, goodbye.'"

That Pogacar at the Tre Valli Varesine may have been fed up with it for a while; however, it did not apply to those other autumn days in Italy. With another absolute display of power, the Slovenian won the Tour of Lombardy for the fourth year in a row after winning the Giro dell'Emilia that week. "Gosh, he showed his strength," Poels laughed at Pogi's week. "It was unbelievable and bizarre. If you add those statistics... Outstanding," he sounded full of admiration.

As easy as Pogacar made it seem in Lombardy, Poels had a hard time that day. "I suffered ... After the Ghisallo, I was hanging on, but by then, I was already a little bit wasted. Then we got to that last climb. I didn't know where I was anymore, so to speak. I was so exhausted. Then you have to get to the finish anyway because there is no shortcut. I still managed to finish, which was quite a task." Poels reflects on a tough day and only sees the results later. "Then you see how Pogacar wins. Then you think, 'Shall I give that bike back and stop, or am I going to try again for another year?'" the Dutchman concludes jokingly.