Slovenian cyclist Tadej Pogacar emerged victorious in the second stage of the Giro d’Italia, securing his position as the leader of the general classification on Sunday at the Sanctuary d’Oropa in Piedmont. Pogacar’s win was not without drama as he suffered a puncture and fell during the final climb, but he quickly recovered and crossed the finish line 27 seconds ahead of Colombian Daniel Martínez and Welshman Geraint Thomas.
With this win, Pogacar now holds a 45-second lead over Thomas and Martínez in the overall standings. Jhonatan Narváez, who had claimed the ‘maglia rosa’ in the first stage, struggled and finished thirtieth, over two minutes behind Pogacar.
Despite the setback, Pogacar’s UAE team supported him as he rejoined the pack of contenders and eventually launched a successful attack four kilometers from the finish line. Pogacar is viewed as the favorite to win the 107th edition of the Giro, with the race concluding in Rome on May 26. His ultimate goal is to achieve a Giro d’Italia-Tour de France double in 2024, a feat not accomplished since Marco Pantini in 1998.
Pogacar, participating in the Giro for the first time, expressed his satisfaction in joining the elite group of riders who have won stages in all three major stage races – France, Italy, and Spain. He explained, “One of my dreams was to achieve that triplet in the grand tours, few cyclists achieved it.” Despite his fall, Pogacar remained unfazed and focused on his strategy for the stage, successfully securing the victory.
Looking ahead, Pogacar emphasized the importance of maintaining calm in the upcoming stages, particularly those favorable for sprint finishes. With his Tour de France victories in 2020 and 2021, Pogacar is confident in his ability to tackle the challenges of the Giro d’Italia and aims to continue his winning streak in the prestigious race.