'I could retire today and be proud' - Tadej Pogacar after brilliant Tour of Flanders win
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Published 02/04/2023 at 16:31 GMT
Tadej Pogacar now only needs Milano-San Remo and Paris-Roubaix to complete the Monument sweep – a feat only pulled off by three riders, Rik Van Looy, Eddy Merckx and Roger De Vlaeminck – after his brilliant win at the Tour of Flanders. Pogacar cracked defending champion Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert with a brilliant display on the cobbles to continue his impressive 2023 season.
'I need to gain a few kilos' – Pogacar hints at Paris-Roubaix bid in future
Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) basked in a day he will “never forget” after winning a maiden Tour of Flanders title on Sunday with a scintillating solo attack.
The two-time Tour de France champion, who somehow contrived to finish fourth in a two-horse race in 2022, made his decisive attack on the penultimate climb – the Oude Kwaremont – distancing Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin–Deceuninck) and quickly reeling in, and then passing, lone leader Mads Pedersen (Trek–Segafredo).
He crested the final climb – the Paterberg – with a 14-second lead over Van der Poel, leaving a 12km time trial into the finish in Oudenaard. Although Van der Poel had a real crack at the chase, the gap started to creep up, allowing Pogacar to start his celebrations on the home straight.
“It was amazing. Today I will never forget,” the 24-year-old said.
“To go solo, I knew I had to go on Kwaremont the last time. I just gave it my all. I almost cracked on the Paterberg but I knew it was going to be tough. It was the only way to get to the finish.”
He added: “I could retire after today and be proud of my career.”
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Tour of Flanders men's race highlights: Pogacar dethrones Van der Poel in style
Pogacar joins Eddy Merckx as the second rider to win three different Monuments before the age of 25. Pogacar has won Liege–Bastogne–Liege (2021) and Giro di Lombardia (2021 and 2022), with Milano-San Remo and Paris-Roubaix the only Monuments missing from his bulging palmarès.
The Slovenian was asked about a potential Monument sweep but admitted adding the last two will not be easy.
“We saw San-Remo is the most difficult. This year I was there in one of the best shapes of my life, but it was really tough to win. We don’t give up. We have San-Remo and Roubaix to go…” he said.
Pogacar has never ridden Paris-Roubaix, with the chaotic French cobbles viewed as too risky for someone with Grand Tour aspirations later in the season.
But he refused to rule out a bid and teased an appearance in the future.
“We’ll see. I think I need to gain a few kilos for Roubaix and then we see,” he said.
“And I need to toughen my hands for the cobbles, but maybe in the future.”
Pogacar added he would view his season as a success even if he missed out on the Tour later this summer. He will head to France chasing revenge, having relinquished the yellow jersey to Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma) last year.
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