🫂 True respect, and a day that Giulio Pellizzari will never forget. 🤩 Never change @TamauPogi, never change #GirodItalia
Why did Pogacar give his jersey to Pellizzari, why did he go for the stage win, and why the short sleeves?
CyclingTuesday, 21 May 2024 at 15:41
Tadej Pogacar is in control of this Giro and, and although he had already placed minutes between himself and his competitors on Sunday, his dominance was perhaps even more apparent on day sixteen. UAE-Team Emirates kept a low profile during the shortened mountain stage, but had no choice but to let Pogacar ride up at a leisurely pace after Movistar had kept the group together. Pogacar seemed to do everything possible not to win, but he won anyway – and at a leisurely pace (at least by his standards). Giulio Pellizzari received a kind of apology after the finish.
"We didn't want to go for the stage win at all, but when other teams picked up the pace, we said: why not? On the last climb, we started to accelerate, and with Tadej behind me, it was a done deal," Rafal Majka summarized the race to Eurosport. "Tadej asked if I didn't want to go for the stage victory, but I had already been leading for a wile and was tired. So I told him to go. Hats off to him, even though we didn't even want to win."
Pogacar confirmed his climbing domestique's story in the flash interview. "When we started racing, it was fine. It was a good breakaway for us, so we were quite relaxed in the peloton. However, Movistar kept pushing and kept it tight. In the last two kilometers, we took control, but Rafal was done and wanted to make something happen. I really thought Pellizzari would win the stage, but I'm glad he still came in second."
Continue reading under the video.
Pogacar gives Pellizzari his shirt as consolation prize
Immediately after the finish, Pogacar and Pellizzari met in the tent and shared a heartfelt hug. As a kind of apology and consolation, the pink jersey wearer took off his jersey and gave it to the young Italian from Bardiani. "You're the best," we heard Pellizzari shout. He even shed a few tears later. Shortly after, Pogacar addressed the moment: "I've already been admired him in this Giro. He sent my manager a photo from Strade Bianche 2019, when he was a young kid and came to watch as a fan. Now he's here. He's strong, and maybe he can win a stage this week. Italy should be proud to have talents like him."
In the mixed zone and at the press conference, Pogacar naturally also discussed his unusual stage victory. "I only attacked one and a half kilometers from the finish and wanted to stay warm. Rafal decided we should go for the stage win," he emphasized. UAE-Team Emirates and team leader Tadej want to bring the pink jersey to Rome without expending too much energy when it's not necessary. "Let's see how we handle the rest of the week. If teams like Movistar can help us like this, that's great. The team must first survive well, then me. I don't have to go so deep anymore unless I get dropped. I don't need to go beyond the limit and have to recover well in this last week."
Continue reading under the video.
Pogacar wants to plan everything, but that's not always possible
With a seven-minute lead, Pogacar is in an ideal situation. At the press conference, he also laughingly confessed that he doesn't handle scenarios like that of day sixteen very well as a person. "I have this disease from my girlfriend. I want to plan everything. It's something I have taken over from her, everything must be perfectly planned. In cycling, that's just impossible, and today was a good example of that. We still won, so it's nice that we didn't have to work too hard for it."
The major chaos before the start was obviously not planned either. Due to snow and cold, the riders were eventually moved to a different starting location, skipping the Passo Umbrail. "In the end, it was a good day for everyone. Nobody wanted to start, but we found a solution. It was unfortunate for the organization, but it would have been the same if we, as riders, had had to go over that first climb. Ultimately, we must think about the safety of everyone," said Pogacar, who stood out even more in the finale as he was wearing short sleeves. "That was because of Movistar. On the penultimate climb, I took off my jacket because we were going quite hard. But I got cold on the descent. Fortunately, I can handle it well!"
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Latest Comments
- Van Aert is really handsome. He can influence me all day! Ditto for Philipsen. Why do you think many of us love cycling?: to see heroic attempts at climbing mountains at high altitudes or to watch speedsters sprint for the finish line or to watch a human being ride at break neck speed down a tricky descent? No, it's all about their lean physiques and muscular legs. (apologies for objectifying these dedicated and amazing athletes).BarwonHeadsUp25-10-2024
- It is unfortunate that the author can't feel the joy that Pogacar brings to the sport and his fans who are legion and I for one feel lucky to have watched such a memorable performance and historic season From the Strada until yesterday with multiple wins in stages in both tours and beyond dominance in the World's. He is proud to wear the Rainbow stripes, shows his leadership to protect his fellows and is as courteous and sportsman-like as the sport allows. He goes early to not have to respond to each attack as all the rest would make him do it. Any racer who could would do the same. Don't "grow tired" of greatness as it is always fleeting.ccrider13-10-2024
- What load of rubbish. Pog is likely a once in a generation cyclist, the like of which hasn't been seen since 'the Cannibal '. How many people were complaining that Merckx was making racing predictable? I remember this year's World RR as one of the most exciting I've watched. Mainly BECAUSE Pog was the favourite and launched what everyone thought (Pog included) was a suicidal attack with 80km to go. For the next 2 hours, I was on the edge of my seat thinking "this is too much, even for Pog". Maybe Zonnefeld prefers the snooze-fest that is a bunch sprint? Like most people I know, I can't watch two hours of the bunch riding very fast... I wait for the final 5km and watch just the sprint. In any event, most races are won from a sprint or lone break. What difference does it make who makes the lone break? Ultimately, the other contenders will have to figure out a way to beat Pog. Even if that means collaboration between teams. It's going to be an exciting few seasons, until the next Pog arrives on the scene. If this is boring, heaven knows what exciting looks like!Michael513-10-2024
- This is not a gravel race. UCI fail, from the surface they are on to team tactics. In what country was the first "gravel race" in what country is the most popular gravel race? Go with the race model that created the discipline.
Barnes127411-10-2024 - And don't forget he has now won 4 of the big 10 races (Grand tours, Monuments and WC/OG) in one year with a chance to make that 5. (5 has only been done once before)Joostmehrtens05-10-2024