Tadej Pogačar: the King Emperor, absolute dominance at the Tour de France

Like “Le Roi Soleil,” the Sun King, everything revolves around him: Tadej Pogačar, star, planet, revolution. While the former, Louis XIV, was the 64th king of France, the Slovenian is in the top 5 cycling kings of all time. After astonishing numbers at the Giro d’Italia (6 stage wins, 9 podiums, 9'56'' lead over the second place, 34 km solo breakaway on the double passage stage over Monte Grappa, to name a few), Pogačar achieved a historic double by also winning the Tour de France.

From the Grand Dèpart in Florence to the finish line in Nice, Pogačar devoured the 3,498 kilometers of this Tour de France. Like a cannibal. Like the Cannibal par excellence, Eddy Merckx, with whom he shares immense talent and a desire not to flaunt it but to demonstrate it at every stage of every race he competes in, with true masterpieces. Like his climb on the Loudenvielle - Plateau de Beille, where he broke the climbing record that still belonged to Pantani, or that on Isola 2000, where he snatched victory from Jorgenson, attacking him at -8km and catching him at -2km with an unmatchable pace.

But it was on the Nice seafront that his feat concluded: in the final time trial (33.7 km) starting from the Principality of Monaco, Tadej had a 7’’ lead over Vingegaard after 11.7 km, which became 24’’ at the second intermediate. No brakes even on the long descent from Col d’Eze, where he increased his lead to 1’07 after 28 km from the start. He finished with a 1’03’’ lead over Jonas and 1’14’’ over Remco.

At the finish line, the usual outstretched arms, as if to expand, to take up space in the world, and how could it be otherwise? At just 25 years old, he has already collected 83 professional victories. Winning everywhere: on cobblestones, gravel, uphill, in time trials.

Giro d’Italia and Tour de France, a rich haul in a summer he will hardly forget. Before him, only Coppi, Anquetil, Merckx, Hinault, Roche, Indurain, and Pantani had achieved the double. The last feat was in '98. Meanwhile, in these years, the wait for a new dominator. Who is now here. Yellow like the Sun, absolute like a King.

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