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Tadej Pogačar, Remco Evenepoel and Primož Roglič. Who is the cycling leader of the season?
The road cyclists will finish their season at the upcoming World Championships in Zurich, Switzerland, which will also be attended by a rested Tadej Pogačar. But already now we can take stock of the king of this season. During the season, three names in particular have made their presence felt.
The road cyclists will finish their season at the upcoming World Championships in Zurich, Switzerland, which will also be attended by a rested Tadej Pogačar. But already now we can take stock of the king of this season. During the season, three names in particular have made their presence felt.
- During the season, three cyclists in particular have made their presence felt
- Tadej Pogačar, Remco Evenepoel and Primož Roglič could be the cycling leader of the season
- Pogačar goes for gold at the World Championships
Tadej Pogačar
Tadej Pogačar dominated the first half of this season. Practically everywhere he appeared at the start, he rode his race and had no competition. At the beginning of the season he participated in the Italian Giro for the first time. And we all already know that he turned this race into an exhibition.
Right from the start he rode his race, which he dominated with almost a ten-minute lead over the second man in the standings, and added six stage triumphs on top. In addition, he became only the fifth cyclist in the history of road cycling to achieve a double Giro – Tour in a single season.
For Pogačar, it was a very valuable victory, as the absolute world’s top of the current peloton gathered at the start. The winner of the previous two editions Jonas Vingegaard, Remco Evenepoel and Pogačar’s fellow rider Primož Roglič were not missing.
And Tadej did the impossible. After three years, he dominated the Tour de France again and added 6 stage wins on top. The sweet reward for him was that he undid his previous defeats from the previous two editions to Denmark’s Jonas Vingegaard, whom he beat by more than 6 minutes.
However, the Dane was indisposed as he was returning to the peloton after a very serious injury. Despite this, Pogačar once again rode his race in the closest competition in the world. And now he announced his attack on the gold medal from the World Championships. So far, he has a bronze in his collection from last year’s road race.
Remco Evenepoel
The Belgian cyclist, who dominated the Spanish Vuelta in 2022, also competed in the Tour de France for the first time this year and was definitely one of the riders who could have been thinking of an overall triumph. However, a slight inexperience was still evident. Despite this, he finished in an excellent third position on his debut.
He made up for it in a major way at the Paris Olympics, where he won two gold medals. He dominated both the individual time trial and the road race. He made the most of the absence of his most serious competitors. And he clearly showed that he is one of the top 5 cyclists in the current peloton.
Primož Roglič
Slovenia’s Primož Roglič dominated the Spanish Vuelta for the fourth time in the last six years. He equaled the legend of this race, the Spaniard Roberto Heras. Who dominated this race at the beginning of the millennium. But once again, he was only pushing away the disappointment of a failed Tour de France, which he had to end prematurely due to two crashes in two days.
But that doesn’t change the fact that the Vuelta equals Primoz Roglic. It is Slovenians Pogačar and Roglič who may in the future add to the small group of cyclists who have managed to dominate all three Grand Tours during their careers. Pogačar is just short of winning the Vuelta. So far, in his only participation, he has finished third. And Roglič is not allowed to triumph at the Old Lady, his best finish so far has been second.
When the best cyclist of this season is announced after the World Championships, one of these three names should undoubtedly be announced. After all, 2024 was a year marked by this triumvirate.
Source: Cycling news, UCI, Wolrd Tour