Pogačar seizes Tirreno-Adriatico lead with queen stage victory

Tadej Pogačar won Saturday’s queen stage of Tirreno-Adriatico, soloing to victory on a summit finish to yank the blue leader’s jersey from the shoulders of Wout Van Aert. Pogačar is well-poised to hang on for the Neptune’s trident trophy on Tuesday.

The first three stages went to the usual suspects of the 2020s: Van Aert, Julian Alaphilippe and Mathieu van der Poel. Up until Saturday, every time the trio started a race together, one of them won. Van Aert wore the blue leader’s jersey, but Mikel Landa, Pogačar, João Almeida, Sergio Higuita, Nairo Quintana, Vincenzo Nibali, Geraint Thomas, Pavel Sivakov and Egan Bernal were all within 39 seconds. There were more GC skirmishes to come in the 56th Tirreno-Adriatico, but Saturday was the queen stage.

The Course

There were several lumps in the first half of the 148 route, and the Passo Capanelle cresting with 42 km to go, but the finishing climb was the real meat of the day. The Prati di Tivo was 14.6 km of 7 percent, a proper summit finish.

Prati di Tivo (14.6km, 7%) is back at #TirrenoAdriatico after eight years. With the gaps between the GC contenders minimal at the moment, it promises plenty of fireworks this afternoon. pic.twitter.com/ddWL8dPzwc

— Deceuninck-QuickStep (@deceuninck_qst) March 13, 2021

Five gents dashed away to form the day’s breakaway. With 55 km remaining and Passo Capanelle to climb the quintet held an 8:00 lead.

After Van Aert’s Jumbo-Visma and Pogačar’s UAE-Emirates pulled the peloton for most of the stage, Landa’s Bahrain-Victorious mobbed the front. UAE returned to its task on the descent, but the breakaway, down to an intrepid trio, hit the foot of Prati di Tivo with a 4:00 gap.

Prati di Tivo

Only two fugitives remained on the final climb: Mads Würtz Schmidt (Denmark/Israel Start-Up Nation) and Benjamin Thomas (France/Groupama/FDJ). Soon the Dane was solo. With Ineos Grenadiers leading the shrinking pack, hoping to rid itself of Van Aert.

Bernal made the first major dig with 8 km to go. Pogačar responded first. Soon, there was a high-powered baker’s dozen vying for the day’s flowers, Würtz Schmidt’s lead down to 1:30 with 7 km remaining.

Geraint Thomas pulled away, eventually drawing Pogačar. The duo overtook Würtz Schmidt with 5 km to go and the Slovenian skipped clear. Van Aert resisted bravely, while several counterattacks tried to bridge to Pogačar. Neither Thomas nor Bernal could hang on to Van Aert’s chase group.

Reigning champion Simon Yates became Pogačar’s closest pursuer.

Pogačar’s gap was only 7 seconds at the red kite, but he resisted Yates to the line.

Sunday is a day of relentless short climbs on a circuit.

2021 Tirreno-Adriatico Stage 4
1) Tadej Pogačar (Slovenia/UAE-Emirates) 3:51:24
2) Simon Yates (Great Britain/Team Bike Exchange) +0:06
3) Sergio Higuita (Colombia/EF Education-Nippo) +0:29

2021 Tirreno-Adriatico GC
1) Tadej Pogačar (Slovenia/UAE-Emirates) 17:53:21
2) Wout Van Aert (Belgium/Jumbo-Visma) +0:35
3) Sergio Higuita (Colombia/EF Education-Nippo) s.t.