‘Don’t wake sleeping dogs’: Rockets foiled again by Pogačar, who destroys Strava KOMs

Tadej Pogačar has been completing his latest training sessions in Spain. The world champion is currently based on the Costa Blanca, one of cycling’s key winter hotspots. There, the Slovenian logged a 145-kilometre ride, taking in a number of well-known climbs. And even when Pogačar claims he’s taking it easy, the speed is still outrageous.

The Rockets experienced that earlier this year. Norwegian rider Cedrik Bakke Christophersen set the top time on the famous Coll de Rates — an outstanding ride — but just before Christmas Pogačar went even quicker, by no less than 24 seconds. “Bad timing,” Pogačar joked on Instagram. Still, the Rockets weren’t done.

Christophersen proved to be a true KOM hunter. On the Collao Laguar por Castells and the Collao de Garga, the 24-year-old — who finished 12th in the Tour de la Provence this week — posted the fastest times. The gauntlet was immediately thrown down to Pogačar, who responded a month later. And not quietly.

On the Collao Laguar por Castells — a 5.5-kilometre climb at 6.7% — Christophersen had needed 14 minutes and 3 seconds. But the world champion flew up it like a high-speed train: 58 seconds faster. That also made him 1 minute and 19 seconds quicker than Mathieu van der Poel, who rode the segment four years ago.

And the Collao de Garga — a slightly shorter test at 4.3 kilometres with an average gradient of 7% — was also devoured by the Slovenian. Once again, he was well clear of the Norwegian, who conceded 42 seconds to the unstoppable all-round machine. The Rockets could only laugh about it on Instagram: “We shouldn’t have woken the sleeping dog.” They added: “Save a few KOMs for the rest of us, Tadej!”