Pogacar turns screw on Giro with stage 7 time trial win

English Woman's Journal - Pogacar turns screw on Giro with stage 7 time trial win

SPORTS 10.05.2024

Pogacar turns screw on Giro with stage 7 time trial win / Photo: Luca Bettini - AFP

Slovenian rider Tadej Pogacar won stage 7 of the Giro d'Italia, a 40-kilometre time trial, to extend his race lead in Perugia on Friday.

Change text size:

Pogacar, who had already won stage 2, finished 17 seconds ahead of Italian time-trial specialist Filippo Ganna and two minutes in front of his great rival, Welsh rider Geraint Thomas.

The UAE Team Emirates team leader is now 2min 36sec ahead of Colombian rider Daniel Martinez in the overall standings.

"I prepared well for this time trial and worked a lot on the time trials, my position on the time-trial bike," said Pogacar.

After Ganna set a testing time of 52:01 all eyes were on Martinez, who began the day 47sec off the lead, Thomas, who was one second ahead of him, and Pogacar.

While Thomas, who turns 38 on May 25, and Martinez struggled to chew up the tarmac between Foligno and Perugia, Pogacar shifted into overdrive clocking 51.44 at an average speed of 47.1 km/h.

Only 11th at the halfway point, 44 seconds behind Ganna, Pogacar finished very strongly indeed, taking advantage of the last six kilometres of uphill sections to knock out the competition.

"I remained cautious until the last climb when I gave it my all," he said.

Martinez (Bora) was eighth quickest on the day but gave up 1:49 to Pogacar. He did, however, move up to second place in the GC with a 10-second advantage over a weary Thomas.

"I got stuck," said the Welsh Ineos rider who won the Tour de France in 2018. "I gave it my best shot, but I was having a bad day."

Saturday's 8th stage, which concludes with a fearsome final 14km climb to the finish at 1452m altitude, could enable Pogacar, a keen climber, to extend his lead even further.

The Slovenian, who is taking part in the Giro for the first time in his career, is aiming to become the first rider since Italy's Marco Pantani in 1998 to win both the Giro d'Italia and the Tour de France in the same year.

T.Burns--EWJ

Paul George Scores 36 as Celtics Defeat Sixers 123-101 to Take East Lead

The Boston Celtics claimed first place in the Eastern Conference on Tuesday night, defeating the Philadelphia 76ers 123-101 at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Paul George led all scorers with 36 points in his return to Philadelphia, while a decisive third-quarter run extended Boston's lead and dropped the Sixers to second place.

Mets President David Stearns Expresses Confidence in Marcus Semien's Motivation

New York Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns has identified Marcus Semien’s self-motivation as the primary factor in his potential recovery from an underwhelming debut season. Speaking at the general managers meetings in Las Vegas, Stearns affirmed that the team remains confident in Semien’s ability to improve, even as they evaluate other infield options for next year.

FA Cup Second-Round Draw Confirmed for Non-League and Midlands Clubs

The FA Cup second-round draw has been finalized, setting up crucial ties for non-league teams aiming to reach the third round proper. Several clubs from the Midlands, including Burton Albion and Kidderminster Harriers, have secured their next opponents following recent victories over lower-league opposition.

Panthers expected to begin 2027 NRL season away from new stadium

The new Penrith Stadium is expected to be ready in time for the opening round of the 2027 NRL season, but it’s still likely the Panthers is expected to be on the road for their early matches. There is no delay to the build of the new $309 million venue but there’s a lack of appetite for risk around weather delays through the summer.