Sometimes, in cycling, the difference between a memorable victory and an unexpected disappointment is measured in just a few meters. That's what happened in the time trial at the Tour of Switzerland, where Mathieu van der Poel came agonizingly close to his first career victory in a race against the clock, only to be overtaken by the last rider in the race: Tadej Pogacar.

For over an hour, the Dutch champion of Alpecin-Deceuninck occupied the "hot seat" reserved for the provisional leader of the race, savoring the possibility of writing a historic page in his career. On the technical Aarburg circuit, Van der Poel had indeed delivered a surprising performance, confirming that, while not considered a pure time trialist, he possesses exceptional qualities when he decides to prepare for a race against the clock with maximum attention.

His time remained unbeaten until the arrival of the last rider in the race. But when it emerged from the intermediate checkpoint that Pogacar was traveling at the same pace, tension rose. The Slovenian then completed the job at the finish line, posting just three-tenths of a second ahead of the Dutchman.

An infinitesimal difference - measured in 60 centimeters at over 53 km/h average speed - that left Van der Poel with a mix of pride and bitterness. Sitting in the best time position, under the Swiss heat, the Alpecin rider bowed his head when the verdict became official. An eloquent gesture to tell how close the dream was.

"It was almost a page of history," he commented shortly after the race. "I've never won a time trial as a professional. Of course, I would have liked to manage it this time. But I should also be happy with my performance."

Only as a junior had he beaten Mads Pedersen and Sam Oomen in a time trial at the GP Rüebliland, but of Mathieu van der Poel's 60 professional victories, none have come in a time trial.

The Dutchman preferred not to let himself become obsessed with those three-tenths of a second that separated him from victory.

"When you start thinking about where you lost those 0.3 seconds, it's better to stop. It's the small details that make the difference. Of course I would have liked to win, but there's no point dwelling on it."

In reality, during the race, Van der Poel hadn't immediately realized he was on winning pace. "I only understood I could be close when I received the intermediate time. Before that I felt good on the bike, but I didn't imagine I was going so fast. My plan was to start strong and give everything in the second half. And that's exactly what I did. I think it was the right tactic."

At this point, the fourth stage of the Tour of Switzerland takes on even greater value considering the work done in recent weeks. With the team time trial of the upcoming Tour de France in his sights, Van der Poel has spent a lot of time on the time trial bike and had circled the Swiss race as an important test.

"I prefer to give my best in a time trial that suits my characteristics. When you simply have to survive and pedal without conviction, it becomes frustrating."

As often happens in his career, the Dutchman also relied on instinct. On the morning of the race, he decided to completely change his setup. "In the morning I chose to start with a different bike from the one I had trained on for a month."

A risky choice that, in light of the result, proved almost perfect. The time trial also represents an encouraging signal after a somewhat complicated start to the Tour of Switzerland. Considered among the favorites in the first two stages, Van der Poel had failed to make his mark, instead showing signs of improvement only in the following days, culminating in the fifth place he achieved in the sprint on Friday. "Actually, I already knew I was in good shape. The data from the training camp were positive. I simply suffered a bit from the heat in the first few days."

A problem that the former world champion knows well and has been working on for some time. Already from last season he introduced specific heat acclimatization sessions, performing roller trainer workouts with numerous layers of clothing to simulate extreme conditions.

"This year I had planned more heat training sessions than I managed to do. During the training camp I was already at the limit with the workload and those sessions are really hell. Ideally I should do three a week, but they're so tough that it's often difficult to repeat them after just a few days."

The defeat against Pogacar inevitably leaves a hint of regret. However, beyond the three-tenths that denied him victory, the Aarburg time trial returned a brilliant, competitive, and clearly improving Mathieu van der Poel.

If the Tour of Switzerland once again confirmed Tadej Pogacar's extraordinary superiority, capable of winning even when the margin is reduced to just a handful of meters, it also reminded the peloton that Van der Poel, when he decides to focus on a discipline, can be a protagonist anywhere. Even against the clock. And this time, truly, only by a matter of meters.