Dominance show in Catalonia
When Pogacar competes, the entire competition becomes desperate
March 20, 2024, 6:40 p.m
Cycling star Tadej Pogacar once again demonstrates his impressive early form. The two-time Tour champion wins the third stage of the Tour of Catalonia and extends his overall lead with his second success of the day. On the last climb he coldly countered an attack from his rival.
Tadej Pogacar once again demonstrated his great superiority on the Tour of Catalonia and also won the second mountain finish. The Slovenian cycling star prevailed as a soloist in Port Ainé on the third stage. In the overall standings, the 25-year-old extended his lead to 2:27 minutes ahead of Spaniard Mikel Landa, who took second place on the 176.7-kilometer section. The Russian Alexander Vlasov from the German team Bora-hansgrohe is third, 2:55 minutes back.
Pogacar waited with his attack until 7.3 kilometers from the finish in the over 1,700 meter high ski area. On the demanding final climb, the Slovenian first parried an attack from his Spanish rival Mikel Landa (Soudal Quick-Step) and then followed up with the counterattack a few hundred meters later. As was the case the day before, none of his opponents were a match for him. For the two-time Tour de France winner, it was his third victory in his fifth start this year, and he was never worse than third. Pogacar is using the tour as preparation for the Giro d’Italia, which he wants to win for the first time in May.
The riders have four more stages ahead of them until Sunday. Last year, Pogacar’s compatriot Primoz Roglic won with Jumbo-Visma (now Visma-Lease a bike). The 34-year-old has been driving for the German team Bora-hansgrohe since the beginning of the year; he is not competing in Catalonia this year. The fourth stage on Thursday runs over 169.2 km from Sort to Lleida and is likely to end in a sprint decision.