The bow with open arms on the pink jersey is the synthesis of his Giro. The Giro dominated, or rather illuminated by Cannibale Gentile. Tadej Pogacar confirms himself as the oldest of modern champions. He has a sense of history and the propensity to put on a show. He attacks to win, he runs to convince. He doesn’t do calculations with a scale. He rides with a smile and receives smiles. Pogacar also pounded the Monte Grappa stage with his pedal strokes. What was supposed to be the last obstacle, before the catwalk in Rome, has turned into yet another take-off runway for the boy with the tuft sticking out of his helmet, which dishevels his image and makes people like him.
the domain
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It was an announced show, just like on Monte Sante Marie at the Strade Bianche, as on the Redoute at Liège-Bastogne-Liège, as in Oropa in this Giro d’Italia… Pogacar is already a giant of his sport because he declares his objectives and above all he hits them with devastating superiority. We knew it, we expected it, but in these three weeks of pink racing Tadej won us over and also won over those fans who only follow cycling during the Giro, the most identifying and engaging sporting event in our country. Everyone likes Pogacar because he wins, of course, but also or above all for how he wins. He is the number one “gaming” champion.
no calculations
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One of the great “achievers” at Indurain yesterday would have limited himself to controlling his direct opponents, he would have saved energy thinking about the Tour de France (as some poor in spirit advised him) that awaits him and he would not have given an extra pedal to win the stage . Pogacar no, he belongs to the Cannibal clan. He is the son of Bernard Hinault and grandson of Eddy Merckx. He always runs to the front and as soon as he can he says hello to everyone and goes. Just like Eddy and Bernard, like Marco Pantani. This is why we all think that he could be the first after Pantani to win the Giro and Tour again in the same season. And the comparison with Eddy Merckx, the Cannibal par excellence, should not be frightening. Due to the way he wins both the Classics and the Grand Tours with (apparent) ease and his fearless attitude, he is the champion who comes closest to him. And we were already saying it before this Giro confirmed everything.
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the triumph in Rome
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And so today in Rome, with the Colosseum as the backdrop to his pink jersey, Pogacar wins a Giro that makes history. Meanwhile for the record numbers. The Slovenian conquered 6 stages, 5 of which in the pink jersey, as only Merckx had managed in modern cycling (there would also be Girardengo, Binda and Guerra but in the pioneering era). On the podium with him will be Dani Martinez (second at 9’56”) and Geraint Thomas (third at 10’24), who were two dignified, yet impotent, traveling companions. To find a larger gap you have to go back 59 years! We need to go back to Vittorio Adorni’s triumph in 1965. That day, on the front page of the Gazzetta, Bruno Raschi’s piece was titled like this: “Adorni, the most beautiful pink after Coppi’s”. Here, Pogacar’s pink is at least as beautiful. His rivals recognize this, starting with Thomas who considers it “an honor to have dueled with what could become one of the greatest champions of all time”. But this is also recognized by the enthusiasts who returned to the streets of the Giro to applaud a phenomenon. After all, how can you not love him? The other day, Tadej gave baby Pellizzari who asked him for goggles after being beaten, his pink jersey and a golden hug. And yesterday, did you see him on Grappa when he first slowed down to give a “high five” to a child who was applauding him and shortly after took the water bottle from his masseur and passed it directly to a kid who was chasing him? It is also by these details that he judges himself to be a runner… It is also by these details that cheering becomes love. Now you understand why that bow in pink, at the finish line which formally closed the games, is the elegant synthesis of the Giro. Tadej didn’t just live up to expectations. He went much further and began to write a new story of himself. Today Rome can extend its ancient arms to gratefully welcome the new Gentile Cannibal.
