The Slovenia Times

Pogačar wins time trial to extend Giro lead

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Tadej Pogačar in the pink jersey celebrates with champagne at the end of Stage 5 of the Giro d'Italia. Photo: ANSA/STA

Tadej Pogačar powered to yet another stage win at the Giro d'Italia, humbling the competition in the individual time trial to further extend his lead seven days into the three-week race.

Storming up the final climb of the 40.6km course from Foligno to Perugia, the Slovenian UAE Emirates rider beat the time trial specialist, Italian Filippo Ganna (Ineos Grenadiers) by 17 seconds, having lagged 47 seconds behind him at the foot of the hill.

Overall, Pogačar now has a lead of 2 minutes and 36 seconds on Columbian Daniel Martinez (Bora-Hansgrohe). Welshman Geraint Thomas (Ineos Grenadiers) is a further ten seconds behind in third.

Some pundits compared his performance up the decisive climb to his epic finish in the 2020 Tour de France when he beat his compatriot Primož Roglič in the time trial to snatch the yellow jersey from him.

"I started with an easier pace, I had to get used to the TT bike ... I knew the climb suits me, suits me better than other people for sure. That was my advantage on the climb, especially because it was quite steep," the 25-year-old said after Stage 7.

He became the first rider in ten years to win a time trial in the pink jersey. The last to achieve that before him was Columbian Nairo Quintana.

This is Pogačar's second stage win in his debut appearance in the Italian Grand Tour after winning Stage 2. He now has 72 career wins, five of which in time trials.

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