If anyone still harbored doubts about who is today the strongest rider in the World Tour, the Tour of Switzerland has provided yet another answer. Tadej Pogacar conquered the Swiss race with the authority of an absolute champion, winning three out of five stages and leaving his rivals with the feeling of racing for second place.

The Slovenian from UAE Team Emirates-XRG transformed the Tour of Switzerland into yet another demonstration of strength in a season that sees him once again dominating world cycling. Every time the road climbed, every time the race became intense, Pogacar answered the call, imposing his own pace and superiority.

Victory in the general classification came at the end of an extremely difficult day, characterized by high temperatures and a selective course that put the peloton to the test. But once again the Slovenian champion demonstrated that he has something more than everyone else.

«It was a really tough race, but the team did an excellent job - Pogacar said at the end of the stage - It became increasingly difficult with each lap and in the end it was a total effort. Decathlon was also trying to impose a high pace on the final climb, so I tried to continue and maintain that rhythm until the top».

The world champion crossed the finish line alone and behind him, with a gap of 7”, came Lenny Martinez (Bahrain-Victorious), followed by Bart Lemmen (Visma-Lease a Bike). «It was a brutal day and it was scorching hot, so I'm happy to have won the general classification and to be able to go home to Urska».

In the final standings Pogacar finished with an advantage of 6’32” over Richard Carapaz (EF Education – EasyPost) and 6’53” over Mathias Vacek (Lidl-Trek).

The words of the world champion tell the story of the day's difficulty, but they cannot hide the naturalness with which he continues to win. For Pogacar, in fact, the Tour of Switzerland was not only a prestigious success, but above all a fundamental test with a view to the most important objective of the season: the Tour de France.

On July 4th, the Slovenian phenomenon will indeed be at the start of the Grande Boucle and what he has shown in recent days inevitably makes him the great favorite to conquer the yellow jersey in Paris.

His condition already appears close to perfection. The accelerations on the climbs, the brilliance in the most demanding finishes and the ability to recover day after day have confirmed once again why Pogacar is considered the absolute reference point of modern cycling.

«After the final climb it went well - the Slovenian explained - Probably that's how it will be at the Tour too, with this impact and with so much elevation gain accumulated before the final climb. It was an excellent way to test the legs, the heart, the lungs, everything. On the final climb I gave my all and it was really tough, but it was a beautiful climb».

His words confirm that the Tour of Switzerland was also approached as a true simulation of the hardships that await him in a few weeks on the roads of France. When asked if he felt ready for the Tour, Pogacar responded with the calm of someone who knows he has completed another fundamental piece of his preparation. «Now it's just a matter of resting a bit at home, doing some specific training and then heading to Barcelona».

A simple program, at least on paper. But behind these words lies the awareness of arriving at the most important appointment of the season in excellent condition and with confidence at the highest levels.

Three stage wins, success in the general classification and the feeling of still having room for improvement: the Tour of Switzerland has confirmed what everyone in cycling has already known for months: Tadej Pogacar continues to be the man to beat.

And as the countdown to the Tour de France enters its final two weeks, the message sent from Switzerland is loud and clear: if anyone wants to snatch the yellow jersey from the shoulders of the Slovenian champion, they will have to manage to do something that in recent months has seemed almost impossible, beating the best rider in the world.