Pogacar: Good enough to do the double

Paris – Runaway Giro d’Italia leader Tadej Pogacar (right) says his current form feels “good enough” to carry him to a rare cycling double as he chases victory in the Italian race and the Tour de France in July.

Only seven riders in cycling’s storied history have achieved the double with Marco Pantani in 1998 the last man to succeed, in the year of Pogacar’s birth.

The 25-year-old Pogacar has won four stages at the ongoing 2024 Giro.

“Let’s get through this Giro first,” the UAE Team Emirates rider told press this week.

“I have a strong lead and a strong team, now I need to conserve energy, good pacing and good weather will help,” he said.

Pogacar explained that conventional wisdom suggests that because the two 21-day races are so close together, a rider must go into the Tour de France fresh.

“With my lead as it is, I can race more conservatively. They all say you need to have good legs coming out of the Giro, and I feel good enough right now.”

Should Pogacar pull off the ambitious feat he will join a list of legends in Fausto Coppi, Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault, Stephen Roche, Miguel Indurain and Pantani.

Described last season by Merckx as being cycling’s most complete rider, Pogacar appears to be on form in terms of morale as he looks to make history and even shared some teenage memories of the same ski resort where he achieved Sunday’s landmark crushing win at 2350m altitude.

“I feel great, this is one of my favourite places. We were here with the Slovenian team when I was junior, when we had little money and rented an old house all together and went to the cheap supermarket in the van, just fantastic memories,” Pogacar said.

“Sunday’s race was a Queen stage so it was a big win, not as big as winning a monument (one of cycling’s big one-day races), but not far.”

Asked if the Giro was as big as the Tour, Pogacar was unequivocal.

“No, come on, the biggest race you can win is the Tour de France, right?”

A confident and refined public speaker, Pogacar then went on to hail the virtues of the Italian tour.

“I dreamed of that pink jersey,” he said of the iconic pink outfit worn by the race leader.

“And hearing your name cheered for 200km is something wonderfully inspiring, it lifts you beyond your barrier.”