Pogačar takes it all

The Slovenian rider wins queen stage and leads the overall over Wout van Aert and Sergio Higuita by 35’’

Pogačar won the queen stage after attacking with 5km to go to overhaul Geraint Thomas who had gone clear before, following a first offensive by Egan Bernal. Bernal went again behind Pogačar but surrendered while Simon Yates tried to bridge the gap to the Slovenian. The Englishman fell short and settled for second while Higuita took third. Van Aert limited his losses to 45’’. Earlier in the race, there was a breakaway with Benjamin Thomas, Mattia Bais, Mads Wurtz Schmidt, Emil Vinjebo and Marco Canola. Wurtz Schmidt was the last escapee to forge on ahead until Pogačar entered into the action.

STAGE RESULT

1 – Tadej Pogačar (UAE-Team Emirates), 148km in 3h51’24”, average speed 38.375kph

2 – Simon Yates (Team BikeExchange) at 06”

3 – Sergio Andres Higuita Garcia (EF Education-Nippo) at 29”

GENERAL CLASSIFICATION

1 – Tadej Pogačar (UAE-Team Emirates)

2 – Wout van Aert (Team Jumbo-Visma) at 35″

3 – Sergio Andres Higuita Garcia (EF Education-Nippo) at 35″

4 – Mikel Landa (Bahrain – Victorious) at 38 ”

5 – Nairo Quintana (Team Arkéa-Samsic) at 41”

Leaders and statistics

Maglia Azzurra (blue), General Classification Leader, sponsored by Sara Assicurazioni – Tadej Pogačar (UAE-Team Emirates)

Maglia Ciclamino (cyclamen), General Individual Classification by Points Leader, sponsored by Segafredo Zanetti – Wout van Aert (Team Jumbo-Visma)

Maglia Verde (green), King of the Mountains Classification Leader, sponsored by Enel – Tadej Pogačar (UAE-Team Emirates); to be worn by Mads Würtz Schmidt (Israel Start-Up Nation)

Maglia Bianca (white), Young Rider General Classification Leader, sponsored by Sportful – Tadej Pogačar (UAE-Team Emirates); to be worn by Sergio Andres Higuita Garcia (EF Education-Nippo)

STATISTICS

A first stage win at the Tirreno-Adriatico for Tadej Pogačar.

It’s the second stage win for a Slovenian rider after Primoz Roglic at Trevi in 2018. Pogačar is also the second Slovenian at the top of the overall ranking of Tirreno-Adriatico after Roglic who took the win on the last day in 2019.

Third at Prati di Tivo, Sergio Higuita is the second Colombian to make the top 3 of a mountain top finish of Tirreno-Adriatico after Nairo Quintana who was second at Selva Rotonda in 2014, winner at the Terminillo in 2015 and 2017.

Quotes and tomorrow's stage

The stage winner and new Maglia Azzurra Tadej Pogačar said in the press conference: “It was a really good performance today, close to my best performances uphill. I’m happy with my form and the win. It was very fast climbing from start to finish. I went early because attacking early was needed to gain more seconds. Doing so, you can fail but you can also gain a lot. It was a good decision to go early. I saw Simon Yates coming really close but he had to push a lot of power to come and catch me. I felt he was also at the limit and it would be very difficult for him. I kind of succeeded today but I’ll have another task to try and keep my advantage in the last three stages. It’ll be hard until the end but I have a good team and I’m ready to defend my leadership.”

Maglia Ciclamino Wout van Aert, who’s now second in the GC, commented: “I would have liked to hang on longer and get more support from the other teams but Tadej [Pogačar] started quite early and that was not in my favour. The pressure was on me and I had to pace for myself. I think I did the best I could. 35 seconds is a nice advantage for Tadej but there are three more stages. I’m looking in front of me, not behind yet and the next few stages should suit me. We’re still aiming at the overall victory and we’ll try until the end. The race is not over.”

TOMORROW’S STAGE

Stage 5, Castellalto – Castelfidardo (205km)

A stage with a very demanding finish that begins along the Adriatic coast. The riders will depart from the town of Castellalto and head entirely downhill to reach the valley floor. From the stage start, the peloton will travel about 100km on wide and straight roads (mainly along the coast) to reach Castelfidardo where, after a first passage through the Selva della Battaglia the riders will enter the 23km circuit (to be repeated 4 times). The circuit is characterized by a succession of ‘muri’ (‘walls’ – short and steep climbs) and descents, with only one brief flat section in the middle of the lap. The first ‘wall’ (classified as an individual GPM each lap) reaches gradients of around 18% in its final stages.

Last km

The last kilometers feature several ups and downs with slopes that hit gradients in the double figures after San Rocchetto. The final kilometer takes place in the town of Castelfidardo, along a steep uphill finish on asphalt.

#TirrenoAdriatico