Van Aert, Pogačar: two seas, two kings

The Belgian rider wins the final ITT after having also conquered the first stage of Lido di Camaiore. Pogačar defends his Maglia Azzurra and wins the Tirreno-Adriatico.

Wout van Aert concluded the 56th edition of the Tirreno-Adriatico Eolo on the Adriatic coast the same way he started it on the Tyrrenean coast. Against the clock, he outclassed time trial European champion Stefan Küng and time trial world champion Filippo Ganna. Fourth on the final stage, Tadej Pogačar won the overall classification of the Race of the Two Seas for the first time in his career. The event was also marked by the stage wins of Julian Alaphilippe (Stage 2), Mathieu van der Poel (Stage 3 and 5), Pogačar (Stage 4, the queen stage in Prati di Tivo), and Mads Würtz Schmidt (Stage 6). Van der Poel was awarded the prize for most aggressive rider. Mikel Landa accompanied Pogačar and Van Aert on the final podium.

Final Results

GENERAL CLASSIFICATION

1 – Tadej Pogačar (UAE-Team Emirates)

2 – Wout van Aert (Team Jumbo-Visma) at 1’03”

3 – Mikel Landa (Bahrain – Victorious) at 3’57”

JERSEYS

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)

Maglia Bianca (white), Young Rider General Classification Leader, sponsored by Sportful – Tadej Pogačar (UAE-Team Emirates)

Stage reults and statistics

1 – Wout van Aert (Team Jumbo-Visma) – 10.1 km in 11’06″13, average speed 54.595kph

2 – Stefan Küng (Groupama – FDJ) at 06″32

3 – Filippo Ganna (Ineos Grenadiers) at 11″31

STATISTICS

Tadej Pogačar won the fastest ever Tirreno-Adriatico overall at an average speed of 41,681km/h. Wout van Aert also won the third fastest individual time trial in the history of the Race of the Two Seas at 54.595km/h (after Filippo Ganna, 56.636km/h in 2020 and Giuseppe Saronni, 55.067km/h in 1978).

Cycling fans may remember the same podium as today but in a different order at the 2020 time trial world championships, which finished: Ganna, Van Aert, Küng.

Tadej Pogačar is the second Slovenian to win the Tirreno-Adriatico after Primoz Roglic in 2019. At the age of 22, he’s the fifth youngest overall winner after Giuseppe Saronni (20 years old) in 1978, Thomas Dekker in 2006, Filippo Pozzato in 2003 and Rolf Sorensen in 1987.

Quotes from the protagonists

The winner of the Tirreno Adriatico Eolo Tadej Pogačar said: “I started the season with high hopes at the UAE tour, which was my first goal. I was in good shape then, and I am in good shape now here too. I did feel some pressure to win, but it’s only the pressure I put on myself.”

Runner-up and Stage 7 winner Wout van Aert, who also wears the Maglia Ciclamino, said: “This victory is good for confidence and for the rest of the season. For the ITT we changed the equipment on the bike and worked on my position. Yesterday I saw an opportunity to save energy for today. Given my performance this week, I’m close to my best level after a long period of training. I came here to do as well as possible and I am happy with my second place, only beaten by the Tour de France winner. Recovery is key from now, until the start of Milan-Sanremo.”

Third on the podium Mikel Landa said: “In the past, I have missed out on the final podium at the Tour de France and the Giro d’Italia because of the final time trial so I’m very happy to retain my third place today. Before the race, we looked at the start list and there were ten to twenty top riders for the GC so the top three is a good achievement and an encouraging sign for the coming races.”

Mathieu van der Poel, who was awarded the prize for most aggressive rider, commented: “With two stage wins I’m super happy with my week of racing and I’m ready for Milano-Sanremo. The last two days have been enough to recover from my victory on Stage 5 where I pushed my limits. It will be a completely different race on Saturday.”

#TirrenoAdriatico