Giro d'Italia 2024

Dominator Pogacar on the brink of triumph after 6th stage win!

Tadej Pogacar underlined his dominance of the Giro d'Italia once again on the penultimate stage on Saturday! 

The wearer of the pink jersey put on a great show on the last mountain section with two ascents of Monte Grappa and celebrated his sixth stage win. After two Tour de France victories, the 25-year-old Slovenian will also win the Tour of Italy for the first time on Sunday in Rome. His important helper Felix Großschartner joined in the jubilation. Pogacar beat the competition by 2:07 minutes after 184 kilometers in Bassano del Grappa.

"We did a perfect job as a team!"
In the overall standings, he is already 9:56 minutes ahead of his first rival Daniel Martinez before the final stage - it would be the biggest lead of a Giro winner since 1965. Pogacar has been wearing the leader's jersey since the second stage. Last week, he rode with such ease that it even seemed as if he was already saving his strength for the Tour de France. This summer, he wants to be the first rider since Marco Pantani in 1998 to secure the double of Giro and Tour.

On the second steep climb to Monte Grappa, Großschartner also did some leading work for his UAE captain. The latter then attacked decisively from the rear wheel of his most important helper Rafal Majka. On the descent and over the 30 kilometers to the finish, Pogacar did not allow himself to be denied the announced stage victory. "We did a perfect job as a team," praised the dominator.

"I've never been to Rome before, but I'm going to enjoy it!"
"I also had good legs. I was happy that the lead at the top was big enough so that I didn't have to go full gas at the bottom." Riding in the pink jersey since day two is a big responsibility. "Today was another big test," said Pogacar. "I wanted to finish the Giro with a good mentality. I managed to do that." The 125-kilometer final stage in the capital will be an affair for the sprinters. Pogacar, who also won the Tour's mountain classification in passing: "I've never been to Rome before, but I'm going to enjoy it."

The Colombian Martinez maintained second place overall as third on the day behind the Frenchman Valentin Paret-Peintre. Third overall, 10:24 minutes behind Pogacar, is the Welsh veteran Geraint Thomas, who also finished in the first chasing group.

The result of the 20th stage:
1st Tadej Pogacar (SLO) UAE 4:58:23 hrs.
2nd Valentin Paret-Peintre (FRA) Decathlon-AG2R + 2:07 min.
3rd Daniel Martinez (COL) Bora - same time
Further:
33rd Felix Großschartner (AUT) UAE +22:43
47th Rainer Kepplinger (AUT) Bahrain +27:33
66th Tobias Bayer (AUT) Alpecin +40:33
76th Patrick Gamper (AUT) Bora - same time

The standings in the overall standings:
1st Tadej Pogacar (SLO) UAE 76:22:13 hrs.
2nd Daniel Martinez (COL) Bora +9:56 min.
3rd Geraint Thomas (GBR) Ineos +10:24
Further:
31. Felix Großschartner (AUT) UAE +1:56:06 hrs.
64th Rainer Kepplinger (AUT) Bahrain +3:22:33
87th Patrick Gamper (AUT) Bora +4:14:45
95th Tobias Bayer (AUT) Alpecin +4:24:12