The Slovenian got rid of his competitors, Tom Pidcock and Ben Healy, 28 kilometers from the finish, in the Keutenberg, on the advice of Mathieu van der Poel.
Rivals when they run together, Tadej Pogacar and Mathieu van der Poel do not seem any less close when they are not opponents on the bike. The Slovenian, winner of the Amstel Gold Race on Sunday April 16, said he had benefited from the advice of the winner of the last Paris-Roubaix, absent from the Dutch classic, to place his decisive attack in the Keutenberg, 28 kilometers away of arrival.
“Three days ago, Mathieu sent me a message to suggest that I attack there. During the reconnaissance, I had indeed noticed that it was the most difficult climb of the course, said the Slovenian. And everything happened as Mathieu had predicted. I thank him for the advice. Even if finding myself alone, I really suffered during the last twenty-five kilometers. The legs were really tired”. Mathieu van der Poel had won the Amstel Gold Race in 2019, the only edition in which Tadej Pogacar had participated before his victory of the day, and on which he had given up.
An expected duel with Remco Evenepoel on Liège-Bastogne-Liège
After his attack, the UAE Team-Emirates rider benefited from shelter from the wind by the race director’s car. “It’s really not a good situation. These are things that happen and shouldn’t happen. But it didn’t last long”, he nuanced. Next Sunday, Tadej Pogacar will face world champion Remco Evenepoel in Liège-Bastogne-Liège. He expects good competition, despite the absences of Wout van Aert and Mathieu van der Poel: “Remco will arrive in very good condition after a long training period at altitude. I think he did everything to be at the top of his form in Liège, with a view to the Giro d’Italia too. He’s going to be a hell of an opponent, c ‘is on”. The duel between the last two winners has already begun.
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