How does Pogacar rank his legendary win in the queen stage? "Among my top three performances in the high mountains"

Pogacar already has nearly a seven-minute advantage in the general classification and needs to safely get through six more stages to be able to lift the Trofeo Senza Fine into the air in Rome. Four of these stages will traverse the Italian mountains. "I'm indeed in a good position in the general classification and have a big lead over my competitors. We can play it safer and take a more conservative approach, but we will still see how the team feels. Based on that, we will determine our pace, but in principle, we don't need to waste much energy," said Pogacar. "We hope for six more days of good weather, will see what this week holds, and from then on, the focus is entirely on the Tour de France."

On Sunday, in truly jaw-dropping fashion, Pogacar soloed to victory in the queen stage over the mythical Mortirolo to Livigno, a stage he had marked on his calendar since December last year. As usual, he posted the data on the cycling platform Strava after the race, but they were temporarily invisible. The reason being that some found his performance too otherworldly and reported the activity on the platform. "It happens often," says Pogacar with a grin. "Probably someone wasn't happy with my performance, but I find it funny. I also received a lot of kudos. It's good that people can see how fast we can go on these iconic climbs."

Pogacar was somewhat surprised himself. "As far as I'm concerned, it was one of my best performances in the high mountains. It might be hard to say watt-wise, but based on my feeling, it definitely ranks among my top three performances in the high mountains. It was a very long stage with an exceptional amount of elevation, and I was very happy with the legs I had."

Having already raked in two overall victories in the Tour, two wins in Liège-Bastogne-Liège, three victories in the Tour of Lombardy, or a legendary solo in the Tour of Flanders, Pogacar, at only 25, has nearly won everything there is to win in the cycling world. But how does he rank this latest victory? "I've already secured more victories of a different caliber, such as the Tour de France," he responded. "Winning the queen stage in a grand tour is always very special because it is usually won by the greatest riders. That's why I am very proud and happy, but it's hard to categorize this victory when you've already won monuments and grand tours. It always takes some time to see that in the right perspective."

On the final climb up to Livigno, the fans were once again lining up in droves to cheer on their greatest racing heroes. Pogacar also wanted to emphasize the importance of fans in the race. "Without the fans, there is no cycling, and you sports journalists wouldn't be here. They hold the key to spectacle and cheer me on for two hundred kilometers. Especially on the final climb, it was insane. I almost became deaf because they were screaming so loudly, but that gives you more motivation and allows you to transcend yourself. The people in the Giro are truly amazing," he said.

On May 26, the Giro ends with a flat final stage in the streets of the Italian capital, Rome. From then on, Pogacar's focus will be entirely on the Tour, but what will his preparation for the Grand Départ on June 29 in Florence look like? "Former riders who have tried the Giro-Tour double told me that if you finish the Giro well and recover well, you also have good legs in the Tour. Hopefully, that will be the case for me as well. After the Giro, I'll relax, chill, go into supercompensation, and then head to training camp to prepare fully."

Pogacar has been racing in the pink leader's jersey since day two, "a boyhood dream" for the still just 25-year-old Slovenian. "Before, my schedule always got in the way, but it was an incredible moment when I could grab the pink during the second stage. Especially seeing what it means to people to be able to wear it. On the other hand, defending the jersey also gives me extra motivation." Pogacar is head over heels in love with the Giro, but what's the difference then with the Tour? "Both grand tours differ enormously from each other. There's a different vibe, and you also ride on different kinds of roads. The race itself is smooth, you hardly face any surprises."