Pogacar explains why he attacked so early again and pays tribute to one-day racing, thinking back to his battles with other top riders

With 75 kilometers to go, Pogacar set off on another long solo breakaway. Evenepoel was the only rider who could keep up with the world champion, but even the Belgian had to let go. “I then kept the gap at around a minute,” Pogacar explained in his flash interview after the race. “That was a comfortable gap for me.”

And so we saw the same situation as at the World Championships: Pogacar finding himself alone early on. “I don't think it was that dominant,” said the brand-new European champion. “Remco was good and chased me the whole time. He put me under pressure. I had to keep pushing, but now I have another title.”

Pogacar admitted in his first interview after the finish that his early attack had been carefully considered. “I thought the third time up that tough climb would be decisive, but Belgium attacked on the second passage, and I quickly lost teammates. I saw four or five Belgians, and I was isolated. Then it was better to attack myself rather than stay in a group that could have attacked me.”

So it was a bit of a desperate attack? “I don't necessarily like a long solo, but I knew it was a risk to go over the last long climb with a larger group, with the strong men who still had teammates. I attacked to thin it out a bit, but I'm glad I was able to do it this way,” said the multiple winner in the press conference.

However, as mentioned, Evenepoel made him work hard for it; he confessed to Cycling Pro Net. "You have to pace yourself well, especially when they're riding together behind you. When Remco went after me alone, I never knew if he was getting closer or not. He can be so aerodynamic, especially into the wind, that it remained very difficult to maintain the lead.“

“I am glad that this is over and that I have won another title,” the 27-year-old rider continued. What dreams does the UAE Emirates-XRG rider still have? “Every year, I want to become a better version of myself, and I want to try other races. I am happy to win, but I have to keep enjoying it.” Or as he put it: “Every year I say this is my best season, but every new year it gets even better.”

“I'm over the moon with every season I've done, and this year is no exception. I realize very well that I'm lucky to be able to win all these races, and if I get the chance for some other experiences—like this year in Paris-Roubaix—it would be a dream to win those kinds of races too. I have to understand very well what I already have and be happy with that.”

“It will soon be the case that I will no longer be able to top it,” said Pogacar, with perhaps some good news for the competition. Because for them, the breadcrumbs have been left over for several years now. And you can bet that in 2026 he will be going for the World Championship title again, as well as the European Championship in Slovenia. “It is an honor to have such a race in my own country.”

The one-day races are becoming more appreciated by Pogacar. On the one hand, because he has not won a few of them yet, but Pogi also says he simply enjoys going all-in on a single day. “In a Grand Tour, you have to suffer for three weeks, but in a one-day race, it's only one day. A classic is more of a pure race, especially if the climbs are not very long or difficult.”

He also keeps an eye on his rivals, who are often considered to have no chance in advance due to the challenging courses. Men like Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert weren't even there at the World Championships. Pogacar would prefer to see things differently. “In classics, there is more room for all kinds of riders to attack and be competitive. They are a lot of fun to do and have a little more glamour for me, without wanting to say that I don't like Grand Tours.”

Bram van der Ploeg ( Twitter: @BvdPloegg | email : [email protected])