Tadej Pogačar continues to impress at the Tour of Switzerland and claimed today's individual time trial with the finish in Aarburg. The Slovenian champion, who had already won the opening stage with the finish in Sondrio, demonstrated once again his extraordinary versatility, imposing himself in a fiercely contested race against the clock.
The victory came thanks to a powerful surge in the final stretch, which allowed Pogačar to beat Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin – Premier Tech) by just 31 hundredths of a second, in what was a duel right down to the final meter. An extremely tight margin that testifies to the intensity of the battle between two of the greatest talents in world cycling.
UAE Team Emirates-XRG dominated today's time trial, placing four riders in the top ten: beyond Pogačar's triumph, Tim Wellens and Felix Großschartner finished in fifth and sixth place respectively, while Brandon McNulty closed in ninth. An exceptional team performance that confirms the strength of the Emirati team.
In the general classification, Pogačar has worn the yellow jersey since the opening stage and currently holds a comfortable advantage of 4'22" over Richard Carapaz (EF Education-EasyPost) and 4'27" over Mathias Vacek (Lidl-Trek). Andrea Bagioli (Lidl-Trek) also delivered an excellent performance, finishing fourth at 4'46".
"Today it was really very hot and the course was very fast. And yes, I was feeling really great. Good legs and I didn't know I was fighting for the victory. I just wanted to give my best – the Slovenian explained at the end of the stage - I knew I was close, but after the intermediate point I didn't know anything anymore, so yes, of course I'm very happy. I tried to give everything until the finish line and I managed it well and I'm thrilled to have won".
On his second victory achieved in this race, Pogačar added: "It's a great race and yes, I'm happy to have achieved the second victory and tomorrow, the final day, we'll fight to secure another success".
The Tour of Switzerland will conclude tomorrow with the fifth stage that will have the finish on the climb to Villars-sur-Ollon, an appointment that promises spectacle and will represent the true test for Pogačar ahead of his major seasonal objectives.
The Slovenian champion's impressions about the final stage are clear: "I believe it's a brutal stage. Completely different from what we've seen in the previous days. I can't wait to see how I'll handle the mountains. Today there was the time trial stage. Tomorrow, one of the most demanding mountain stages ever. I'm really excited to see where I stand. I can't wait".
With a substantial advantage in the general classification and perfect physical condition, Pogačar appears set for the final victory, but tomorrow's stage will have the final say on this edition of the Tour of Switzerland, an important race in preparation for the Tour de France, which will start from Barcelona on July 4th.