Pogačar solos again to win Giro dell'Emilia
Tadej Pogačar at the Giro dell'Emilia. Photo: UAE Team Emiratex X profile
Slovenia's Tadej Pogačar, fresh from winning the title of road race world champion with a 100-kilometre solo, has won the rain-drenched Giro dell'Emilia with a 37-kilometre solo breakaway that began on the first of five ascents up the legendary Colle di San Luca.
Wearing the world champion's rainbow jersey for the first time, the UAE Team Emirates rider decided the 215.3-kilometre race when he responded to an initial move by Remco Evenepoel (Soudal - Quick-Step), before attacking and rapidly building his lead.
None of the competitors came even close as he widened his lead for a final margin of almost two minutes on Tom Pidcock (Ineos Grenadiers) and Davide Piganzoli (Team Polti Kometa) in what was a 215.3-kilometre race.
"I'm super happy to win this race with the world champion's jersey on my shoulders. I felt great today, whereas in the four days following my title, I was drained," the Slovenian said.
"As a new world champion, I felt a certain pressure, but it was a great day," he added.
This was the 24th win this season for the three-time Tour de France winner in a race that has eluded him for a long time. In his previous three appearances, he finished as runner-up twice, last year and in 2022, and dropped out in 2021 due to health problems.
His compatriot Primož Roglič, the three-time Giro dell'Emilia winner, did not finish the race.
Pogačar's fiancée Urška Žigart (Liv AlUla Jayco) meanwhile finished the women's version of the race, the Giro dell'Emilia Internazionale Donne Elite, in fourth place, 16 seconds behind the winner, Elisa Longo Borghini from Italy.
