Pogacar wins gold at Slovenian Time Trial C’ships
The 21-year-old put in a blistering time of 31:10:48 on the 15.6km course, 9 seconds clear of runner-up Roglic while Polanc put in a brave ride to claim the bronze medal
Tadej Pogacar put in a storming ride on home soil to claim gold in the Slovenian National Time Trial Championships. Pogacar takes the title while Polanc claims bronze.
The 21-year-old put in a blistering time of 31:10:48 on the 15.6km course, 9 seconds clear of runner-up Primoz Roglic (Jumbo Visma) who had claimed the road race title the previous week.
Jan Polanc put in a brave ride to claim the bronze medal and end a strong week of competition in Slovenia.
Pogacar said: “After second place last week, coming back and taking the win felt really nice. It was a course I knew very well and we had trained a lot on it during the week.
Jan has showed his form is coming really good too. He worked hard last week for me in the road race and to get the bronze is really nice for the team also.”
Earlier, as the 2020 calendar takes shape the Emirati team has announced the core riders to make-up the three Grand Tours. Each line-up has mixed goals with a good balance of climbers, sprinters and versatile stage-hunters.
The full squad listings are yet to be confirmed, but should become clear in the coming weeks. Fabio Aru (Ita), Pogacar, Davide Formolo (Ita), David De la Cruz (Esp), Alexander Kristoff (Nor) will lead UAE Team Emirates charge at the Tour de France.
Pogacar said: “I was thrilled to find out last week that I will be part of the team’s roster who will be heading to Nice in August and racing in the Tour de France.
“The Tour de France is the biggest and most well-known race in the world and the pinnacle of any rider’s career. I’m super excited to be in the team and can’t wait to test myself against the best riders in the world at one of the hardest Tours.
“We’re now just six weeks away from the start of the revised UCI 2020 race calendar and I am looking forward to getting back to competitive racing. Knowing that I will be racing in the Tour de France means I can finally train with a specific goal in mind.
“I am feeling fit and strong and I am happy with the team at the moment. We’ve got a good mix of attributes for our Grand Tour line ups – having that balance of climbers, sprinters and stage hunters,” he added. “It’s also great for the fans for racing to start again.
“I hope we can fill the gap that’s been left with no sport and get back to entertaining as many people as possible. The whole team is more motivated than ever with this new calendar.
“Since I arrived at UAE Team Emirates, I felt part of the family. I have many friends in the team and there has always been a good atmosphere with the riders and the staff. That’s also one of the main reasons why I recently renewed my contract with the team until 2024. The UAE Team Emirates is a long-term project with some strong sponsors, and I am proud to be part of it. It is also important to have some security for the coming years,” he stressed.
“The staff have done an amazing job during the lockdown. A huge amount of work has been done behind the scenes and constant communication has been key in keeping us up to date with news about our races.
“I started the season very strong and will be looking to recapture my form in the early races. The first month of the lockdown, I stayed in Monaco and trained inside but when the restrictions were eased in Europe, I moved back to my home country, Slovenia. The situation is much better there as I can train outside and see friends and family,” he informed.
“It is always good to be back where you grew up. It takes be back to when I first started racing as a 9-year-old. I remember my first race; several laps of a 3km loop. I was the youngest of the group but I still managed to win. I really enjoyed it and I fell in love with the sport.”
LONDON: The winning owners of the Derby and the Oaks could be present this Saturday at Epsom after strict coronavirus restrictions were eased on Monday by the British horseracing Authority.
Owners have been barred from attending racecourses since racing resumed on June 1 for the first time since its suspension on March 17.
Owners have been widely credited with keeping the industry afloat by keeping their horses in training and paying the fees.
The protocol robbed Queen Elizabeth II the chance of seeing her horse Tactical win at Royal Ascot this month.
“Racehorse owners will be able to start attending race meetings behind closed doors from July 4 in a safe and risk-managed way, under plans agreed by the Racecourse Association (RCA), Racehorse Owners Association (ROA) and British horseracing Authority (BHA),” the BHA announced in a statement. Two test events are to be held at Southwell and Kempton on Wednesday.
“This will enable owners to experience racing behind closed doors and provide useful feedback ahead of the wider planned rollout from July 4,” the BHA said.
The measures only apply to English racecourses and a maximum of two owners per horse or owner’s representatives will be permitted.
Owners will be allowed on course 45 minutes before their horse runs, be restricted to owners only zones and not permitted to cross over into other areas -- they will have to leave the racecourse within an hour of their final runner competing.
The BHA warned that some racecourses would not be able to facilitate owners yet.
“As with our wider approach to resumption, the return of owners is predicated on a phased, risk-managed plan, which establishes infection control protocols that are essential for the safe continuation of racing during the ongoing COVID-19 situation,” said Jerry Hill, the BHA’S Chief Medical Adviser.
“These include pre-entry screening for owners and segregated areas to facilitate social distancing at no closer than two metres -- measures that prioritise the safety of our attendees, are consistent with government guidance for elite sports fixtures behind closed doors, and are supported by the UK Government.”
The Racehorse Owners Association welcomed the development.
“Owners contribute so much to this sport and it has been frustrating not to be on the track to see their horses run,” said Charlie Liverton, ROA Chief Executive. (ROA)