Pogacar claps back at UAE's 'Weak team' comment: "They can say what they want"

Pogacar has already racked up three stage wins in the first nine days: the uphill finishes to Prati di Tivo and Oropa were tailor-made for him, as was the long time trial. Add his aggressive performance in the opening stage won by Jhonatan Narváez in Turin and his relentless push in the gravel stage finale, and it's clear the 2024 Giro is shaping up to be the Giro di Pogi.

With the Tour de France on the horizon, Pogacar's team occasionally urges him to take it easy, but he remains actively involved each day. He's even made his presence felt in the sprint stages, showcasing his versatility as the most complete rider in the peloton. Whether he will maintain this level of activity in the second and third weeks is yet to be seen.

He put his rest day to good use: Pogacar logged 55 kilometers in just under two hours, and he and his teammates even managed to sneak in some time for a delightful ice cream. "We stopped in a beautiful spot in the middle of nowhere. And for lunch, we enjoyed a tasty burger. I'm secretly hoping for a slice of pizza tonight," he chuckled.

"It's been nine fantastic days; I've thoroughly enjoyed it. There have been some challenging days, along with a few sprints and a time trial—really a mix of everything. But winning three stages already is something I'm very proud of and happy about, and the team feels the same."

"Definitely the time trial. Each victory was special with its own story, but the time trial brought me the most joy."

"There are many differences. The atmosphere is quite distinct, but so far, I am enjoying the Giro the most. It's well-organized, including the timing, and we've been fortunate with the weather. Plus, I enjoy the crowd; I hear my name everywhere. The stages aren’t too long, so so far, it's perfect. I also feel less stress than in the Tour. But it's a three-week race, and that remains challenging."

"So far, it's been going very well, so I already have a nice gap on the competition. But I think we need to be prepared for anything, especially in the third week. I'm particularly watching INEOS, as they have G (Thomas) and Arensman, two strong cards to play. So we need to be ready to respond to these attacks when they come, and I could also have an off day."

"It was a very good stage, from the team as well. I would call it perfect teamwork and in the end, I rode more defensively, but that was also so that Rafal Majka could still be of service in the sprint. That felt good."

"It wasn’t a typical sprint stage. That might have made it a bit easier, so I just decided to help them out. It felt great to push forward at 400 meters from the finish, but I also learned that doing a lead-out is not easy. Maybe I'll try it again."

(takes a deep breath) "I'm used to people underestimating my team and questioning our strength, but they can say what they want. We prove time and again that we're one of the best teams, even if we're not always competing with the biggest names. Everyone gives their all, and we really have a strong team, which I'm very happy with. Plus, the atmosphere is always great, it feels like one big family."

"Tuesday there's a mountain stage, followed by a sprint stage and a breakaway stage. If the same situation as towards Prati di Tivo occurs tomorrow, then we can go for the stage win again. However, that's something we'll really look at during the stage."

"The last stage of this week will definitely be tough, maybe the toughest day of my career. It's really massive, and I'm really looking forward to going over the Mortirolo to Livigno, where I've trained quite a bit in recent years. That’s something I’m really excited about."

"We'll have to see. Even if we wanted to give the jersey away, the other teams wouldn't be happy. I don't think they want anyone else ahead of me because then the gaps could get really big. For us, it might be possible, but whether it really happens? So far, it's going very well, so we really don’t need to lose it."

"If someone had suggested this to me, I would have signed up immediately. I think we can talk about a nearly perfect week, so I give this Giro a 10."

"Yes, I was very happy to see that. I'm looking forward to facing him in the Tour, where I expect him to be in good form. I wish him the best this way and hope he can get back to cycling well soon and think about a high-altitude training camp."

"It’s definitely in the back of my mind. That’s why I'm so relieved to have this lead, allowing me perhaps to ride a bit more conservatively without pushing my limits too far."