Merlier raced to victory at the Giro after a brazen Pogacar maneuver
Tadej Pogacar almost cheated the sprinters to get candy, but in the end Team Merlier was the strongest in the 3rd stage of the Giro d’Italia cycling race, Monday.
Most experts were convinced in advance that the 166-kilometer stage from Novara to Fossano would end with a mass sprint. Likewise, but superstar Tadej Pogacar can’t fool everyone.
On the final climb with just a few kilometers left, the Slovenian accelerated his pace and was followed by his overall rival, Geraint Thomas. The two met in the final kilometer and opened the field chasing.
– Will this work? It must be very painful. Everyone talks about sprinters before the start, says Discovery expert August Jensen on sprints.
With a few hundred meters to go, Pogacar’s maneuver was neutralized, and on the front line, Belgium’s Tim Merlier was first. The Soudal Quick-Step rider picked up his ninth win of the season.
– This is my most difficult victory. It was a tough final. “My teammates did an incredible job,” Merlier said in a winning interview.
Neither Tobias Foss, Vegard Stake Laengen, nor Torstein Træen had anything to do with the outcome of the stage. That was also unexpected.
Tadej Pogacar still leads the overall race. He had 45 seconds to spare on Thomas. (NTB)
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