Tadej Pogačar says we need more long range attacks in cycling after his 120km solo move
The double Tour de France winner says that races should be more attacking like Paris-Roubaix
Tour de France winner Tadej Pogačar has said that more long-range attacks are needed to make cycling more entertaining, following his 120km move at Tre Valli Varesine.
Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates), went on the move in the rain in Italy on Tuesday (October 5) as he "just wanted to have fun" before setting up his team-mate Davide Formolo, who eventually came second behind veteran Alessandro De Marchi (Israel Start-Up Nation).
Slovenian superstar Pogačar is no stranger to moves from a long way out as he has shown at the Tour de France, winning the race on two consecutive attempts.
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In an interview reported by Cycling News, Pogačar said: "We tested our legs for sure today. I wanted to give my best and to have fun out on the road,
"We're seeing more and more long-range attacks. I think it's good and more open. It's more interesting for the fans and makes for more interesting racing,"
Pogačar's rival Remco Evenepoel (Deceuninck - Quick-Step) has also become famed for long-range moves, putting in a superb solo attack with 31km to go at the Coppa Bernocchi race in awful weather conditions to take the win earlier this week. Lizzie Deignan (Trek-Segafredo) also attacked with over 80km to go at the inaugural Paris-Roubaix Femmes last week.
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Chris Froome (now Israel Start-Up Nation) perhaps one of the most famous of long-range moves to wrestle control of the 2018 Giro d'Italia, with an 80km attack on the Colle delle Finestre before finishing on Bardonecchia.
Pogačar came third in the end at the 2021 Tre Valli Varesine after his huge long-range move, suffering a late puncture that took him out of the fight for the win.
As he prepares for the final Monument of the year, he has not shown the same form he had at the Tour de France with the Slovenian unable to follow Evenepoel and Sonny Colbrelli (Bahrain Victorious) at the European Championships as well as a below par performance at the World Championships.
He then abandoned the Giro dell'Emilia, which was won by fellow Slovenian and main rival Primož Roglič (Jumbo-Visma), but the 23-year-old is content with his form going into Il Lombardia.
"I honestly think my form is improving from race to race," he continued. "My legs are good, my condition is good, but it's been a long season and my head is going around places.
"Sometimes I have a good day and sometimes a bad day, like Emilia, which was a really bad day for me. Now I need to prepare mentally for Il Lombardia. I think I can have a good day there."
Pogacar will face stiff competition at Il Lombardia, with world champion Julian Alaphilippe racing with Deceuninck - Quick-Step co-leaders Evenepoel and Joao Almeida.
Roglič also returns along with Vincenzo Nibali (Trek-Segafredo), Michael Woods (Israel Start-Up Nation), Bauke Mollema (Trek-Segafredo) and fourth place at the Worlds Neilson Powless (EF Education-Nippo), among others.
Il Lombardia takes place between Como and Bergamo over a tough and testing 239km route on Saturday, October 9 and closes out the Italian racing season and many rider's seasons.
Tim Bonville-Ginn is a freelance writer who has worked with Cycling Weekly since 2020 and has also written for many of the biggest publications in cycling media including Cyclingnews, Rouleur, Cyclist and Velo.