ITALY: The pink jersey of Tadej Pogacar is shining even brighter after the individual time trial of 40,6 km from Foligno to Perugia.

The Slovenian rider won the stage thanks to an amazing performance on the final hill of the course (6,6 km at 4,1%) which allowed him to close the time split of 47′ from Filippo Ganna at the second timepoint at -7 km to the arrival.

After having managed his effort on the flat part, an impressive climb by Pogacar gave him the victory number 72 in his career with the time of 51’44’ (Ganna +17′) and made even more solid his leadership in the GC: Geraint Thomas (Ineos-Grenadiers) had a gap of 2′ in the ITT and he’s now 3rd in the GC (+2’46’), while in second place there’s now Daniel Martinez (+2’36’).

Pogacar clocked a blistering average speed on the 40,6 km course of 47,088 km/h.

Pogacar said: ‘After the time trial at the World Championships of the past year I worked a lot in order to be as efficient as possible on my TT bike: today I was 100% comfortable and efficient on it, a
nd so I’m very happy about the victory.

There will be another time trial in this Giro d’Italia, I will look forward to it because I feel I could still improve.

For what concerns the competition for the pink jersey, during the stage I received the info I was faster than Thomas at the first timepoint, this gave me even more morale to push harder, then I gave my all on the final climb and so the day became beautiful for me’.

Stage 8 will start from Spoleto and will finish with a summit arrival at Prati di Tivo.

Source: Emirates News Agency