The 25-year-old rider, who crossed the finish line solo, managed to hold off Australia’s Ben O’Connor, finishing 33 seconds ahead…..
Slovenian cycling sensation Tadej Pogačar added another historic achievement to his name on Sunday by winning the 2024 World Road Race Championship in Zurich, capping off an extraordinary season that saw him claim cycling’s highly coveted “triple crown.” Pogačar’s victory, achieved through a daring and decisive attack 100 kilometers from the finish, adds to his earlier triumphs at the Tour de France and the Giro d’Italia, placing him in elite company alongside Eddy Merckx and Stephen Roche as the only riders to win these three prestigious titles in a single season.
The 25-year-old rider, who crossed the finish line solo, managed to hold off Australia’s Ben O’Connor, finishing 33 seconds ahead. His bold move broke from the usual conservative tactics of professional cycling, as Pogačar attacked early in the race, displaying the fearlessness and tactical brilliance that have become his trademarks.
Reflecting on his remarkable win, Pogačar admitted he felt immense pressure to perform. “I put a lot of pressure on myself today,” he said. “Winning the Tour de France is always the main focus, but after such a perfect season, the world championship became a clear goal.” Despite initially planning to play a more patient game, a dangerous breakaway forced Pogačar to take action earlier than expected. “I wasn’t sure it was the smartest move, but I had to follow my instincts, and fortunately, my teammate Jan Tratnik was there to help me. It was a tough ride, but it worked out.”
The 273.9-kilometer race took place on a grueling circuit around Zurich, with constant climbs and descents that limited team tactics and made it a test of individual endurance. The defining moment came just under halfway through the race when a strong breakaway group, including British rider Stephen Williams, gained a lead of nearly three minutes. Pogačar’s Slovenian team, though small, worked tirelessly to set up his attack, allowing him to launch a punishing offensive on the Bergstrasse climb, with its 17% gradient, during the final four laps of the 27-kilometer circuit.
In a tactical miscalculation, key rivals like defending champion Mathieu van der Poel and two-time Olympic gold medalist Remco Evenepoel failed to react quickly enough to Pogačar’s move. With the help of Tratnik, who dropped back from the leading group to support him, Pogačar steadily closed the gap to the front. Another surge on the Bergstrasse left only Pavel Sivakov of France clinging to his wheel, as Evenepoel and his Belgian teammates struggled to mount a cohesive chase.
By the penultimate lap, Sivakov was dropped, leaving Pogačar alone with 51 kilometers remaining and a slender lead of just over a minute. Although the chase group, now led by Latvia’s Toms Skujiņš and Ireland’s Ben Healy, began to close in, Pogačar found new reserves of energy. A late surge from Van der Poel and Evenepoel brought the gap down to 40 seconds on the final lap, but the Slovene held firm, ultimately cruising to victory as his pursuers shifted focus to securing second place.
Pogačar’s triumph was not just the culmination of a stellar season but a demonstration of his total domination across the cycling calendar. With 23 race wins in 2024, including six stage victories in both the Giro d’Italia and the Tour de France – a feat not seen since Marco Pantani in 1998 – Pogačar has firmly established himself as one of the all-time greats. His wins in the classics Liège-Bastogne-Liège, Strade Bianche, and the GP Montreal further cement his status.
In the final moments of the race, Pogačar’s rivals could do little to challenge his lead, and by the time he powered across the finish line, it was clear that the day belonged to him. The world championship win not only completes his triple crown but also adds another chapter to an already extraordinary career, as Pogačar continues to push the boundaries of what’s possible in modern cycling.
