Tadej Pogacar lets the muscles play in cycling. The Slovenian superstar consequently starts as a top favorite at the classic Liège – Bastogne – Liège. At the same time, an expert ordered plenty of pressure on the triple tour winner.
Tadej Pogacar is “in every race Favorit. He drives against Mathieu van der Poel, Filippo Ganna and Mads Pedersen, then against Remco Evenepoel. Others always want to beat him, but he always stays the same,” said cycling expert Jens Voigt in front of the classic classic Lüttich-Bastogne-Liège opposite “Eurosport”.
Most recently, Pogacar hung the competition with a demonstration of power at the Flèche Wallone.
However, one should “not forget that an enormous pressure is on Pogacar in every race,” Voigt ordered. “And he is only 26 years old – he could be my son. He always has to give interviews, everyone looks at him, the team rely on him. I could understand if he counts the days until the end of Liège – Bastogne – Liège,” said the cycling specialist.
Cycling expert calls the courage of the competition
Remco Evenepoel “celebrated a very strong start of the season after his long injury,” said Voigt with a view to the success of the double Olympic champion at the Belgian Einstagen race on Brabant.
“A realization for Remco from the first two Ardennes races must be that he has to hang out Pogacar beforehand. He has to start on the Redoute or the Côte de la Roche-Aux faucons-or surprise it elsewhere. Pogacar is difficult to beat. Liège – Bastogne – Liège.
The goal must be that Pogacar “is already isolated around 70 or 80 kilometers before the finish line, after several climbs. The rivals must be ready to fail spectacularly in order to have a realistic chance of win. Hardly anyone dares. But after this spring the teams have to change something,” said Voigt.
The cycling expert added: “The decisive racing phase begins earlier and earlier, it is hardly possible to surprise someone with a late attack. Pogacar gets tired less quickly than others, in the end he has the best punch. That’s why you shouldn’t work with him-otherwise you drive for second place.”