Even passive Pogacar has buttocks clenched heading towards "one of the toughest stages ever": "Monstrous!"

"We wanted to let the breakaway go and then see who joined. Based on that, we would set a steady pace to the finish," Pogacar said, revealing UAE's plan for the twelfth Giro day in various post-race interviews. "Fortunately, Bahrain came to help, and it turned out to be a fast and calm day. I was not surprised by them, but I was happy. That way, we could rest a bit in the wheel. The course was beautiful, with the wind in the right direction, so it went by quickly."

He says this with a seemingly clear nose and a sharp gaze. Pogacar and UAE-Team Emirates made a significant impact in the first week of the Giro and will probably only jump back into action this weekend. "I never thought about attacking. I could have risked more than I could have gained. We were in control and saved energy for a tough and beautiful weekend. That made others happy again, though Alaphilippe seemed straight from another planet today. He really deserved it."

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Pogacar elaborates on the individual time trial of over thirty kilometers by Lake Garda. After his dominance in the first time trial, he doesn’t expect to deliver another big performance. "This time trial is flat as a pancake, so it's not my specialty. Let's see, I'll go for it and will have to be at one hundred percent. The differences will become clear quickly, with another tough day the next day."

On Sunday, the riders will climb to over 2,300 meters, with the popular training destination Livigno as the endpoint. A stage of 222 (!) kilometers and 5724 (!) meters of elevation. "Of course, there will be differences in the time trial, but the ride to Livigno is truly monstrous. The gaps will be larger there. Especially if the weather plays a role, it will be one of the toughest stages ever, based on the distance and elevation. We are ready for it, and I am usually good the day after a time trial. Also, I know the roads to Livigno well. It's a beautiful area," said Pogacar.

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In the mountains, Pogacar will need the help of all his teammates, so he had good news about Felix Großschartner, who had a hard fall the day before, at the press conference. "Felix had to see the doctor in the evening and again this morning. He passed all the tests and was already making jokes at breakfast. He looked good in the finale, so I think it's going well. He is also looking forward to the big climbs."