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
![Tadej Pogačar on the attack at the 100th Tre Valli Varesine](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ys6zEWUSnuoQgSD4qQan2S-415-80.jpg)
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.
>>> Mathieu van der Poel finishes in top-10 of all Monuments in just 14 months
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.
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
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.
Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Hi, I'm one of Cycling Weekly's content writers for the web team responsible for writing stories on racing, tech, updating evergreen pages as well as the weekly email newsletter. Proud Yorkshireman from the UK's answer to Flanders, Calderdale, go check out the cobbled climbs!
I started watching cycling back in 2010, before all the hype around London 2012 and Bradley Wiggins at the Tour de France. In fact, it was Alberto Contador and Andy Schleck's battle in the fog up the Tourmalet on stage 17 of the Tour de France.
It took me a few more years to get into the journalism side of things, but I had a good idea I wanted to get into cycling journalism by the end of year nine at school and started doing voluntary work soon after. This got me a chance to go to the London Six Days, Tour de Yorkshire and the Tour of Britain to name a few before eventually joining Eurosport's online team while I was at uni, where I studied journalism. Eurosport gave me the opportunity to work at the world championships in Harrogate back in the awful weather.
After various bar jobs, I managed to get my way into Cycling Weekly in late February of 2020 where I mostly write about racing and everything around that as it's what I specialise in but don't be surprised to see my name on other news stories.
When not writing stories for the site, I don't really switch off my cycling side as I watch every race that is televised as well as being a rider myself and a regular user of the game Pro Cycling Manager. Maybe too regular.
My bike is a well used Specialized Tarmac SL4 when out on my local roads back in West Yorkshire as well as in northern Hampshire with the hills and mountains being my preferred terrain.
-
How to watch the Olympic cycling time trial at Paris 2024
Get all the information you need to watch the action of the men's and women's Olympic cycling time trial at Paris 2024
By Cat Glowinski Published
-
Ribble Cycles looking to capitalise on 'big summer of sport' with 30% off highly-rated models
Direct-to-consumer Ribble Cycles has always been rated highly among the Cycling Weekly tech team. This is our pick of the best Road, Gravel and E-bikes from their 'Summer Sale'
By Matt Ischt-Barnard Published
-
Tadej Pogačar broke 288 Strava KOMs during Tour de France victory
Slovenian won his third Tour title in Nice last weekend, and picked up a host of new trophies on Strava
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Tadej Pogačar to skip Olympics road race
Tour de France champion was originally selected as part of four-man Slovenia team
By Adam Becket Published
-
'Even if I never come back to the Tour de France I will be satisfied': Tadej Pogačar revels in third victory
Three Tour de France wins before turning 26, the Giro-Tour double, the suggestion of a triple crown. Records tumble for the Slovenian
By Adam Becket Published
-
Tadej Pogačar: 'There will always be doubts... but cycling is the cleanest sport'
Tour de France champion addresses critics, saying it would be "super stupid" to dope
By Adam Becket Published
-
How Tadej Pogačar created history and won the Giro d'Italia-Tour de France double
A journey that was supposedly fraught with risk and uncertainty was anything but for Giro d'Italia and Tour de France victor Tadej Pogačar
By Chris Marshall-Bell Published
-
'You always need to go for the victory if you can' - Insatiable Tadej Pogačar won't stop winning at Tour de France
The Slovenian says that he was "at the limit" on the final climb of stage 20
By Adam Becket Published
-
'The best rider I've ever seen': Even UAE Team Emirates are astounded by Tadej Pogačar's Tour de France brilliance
The Slovenian is just two days away from becoming one of only eight men to win the Giro d'Italia and Tour de France in the same year
By Chris Marshall-Bell Published
-
Remco Evenepoel on Tadej Pogačar: He's not the same as us
Belgian was unable to follow Tadej Pogačar's attack on the climb to Isola 2000 on Friday
By Adam Becket Published