Tadej Pogacar made history in impressive fashion on Sunday at the road World Championships in Switzerland, joining Belgium’s Eddy Merckx and Ireland’s Stephen Roche as the only winners of cycling’s elusive triple crown.
The Slovenian won the Giro d’Italia and Tour de France earlier this year and needed to take World Championship gold to match their feats, but did it the hard way.
He attacked with over 100 kilometres remaining in the 273.9km race, bridging across to an early breakaway containing his team-mate Jan Tratnik and causing panic among his main rivals behind.
He then went solo with 50km to go and fended of the persistent efforts of Irishman Ben Healy and Latvian Toms Skujins to get across.
The duo were caught with 16.5km remaining by a group containing defending champion Mathieu van der Poel (Netherlands), Olympic double champ Remco Evenepoel (Belgium) and others.
Pogacar was just 42 seconds ahead there but while the duration of his effort had left him looking vulnerable, the stop/go racing behind plus his own stubbornness saw him stay clear to the finish in Zürich.
Australia’s Ben O’Connor jumped away in the finale to take silver, 34 seconds back. Van der Poel won the sprint for bronze, 58 seconds after Pogacar’s victory celebration. Healy was a fine seventh after being one of the standout riders on the day.
“I cannot believe what just happened,” the 25-year-old winner said. “After this kind of season, I put a lot of pressure on myself for today. I had pressure from myself, from the team. We came here for victory.
“The race unfolded pretty quick. There was a dangerous breakaway in the front. I maybe did a stupid attack, but luckily Jan [Tratnik] was there with me. I never gave up until the final, it was an incredible day. I cannot believe what just happened.”
Healy was one of the strongest riders in the race, beginning his effort with Skujins with over 59 kilometres to go.
Despite a chase of over 40 kilometres, he remained solid after their recapture and launched two stinging moves inside the final seven kilometres. Both were brought back but he impressed nonetheless.
“It was bloody hard, to be honest,” said Healy. “Thank God I was with Toms Skujins, because he was insanely strong today. I did what I needed to do, but I didn’t quite have the legs. So thanks to Toms.”
The statement was a modest one; he was stronger than he suggested, showing form similar to his long breakaway during the Olympic road race in Paris, plus his aggressive Tour de France debut in July.
“I just wish I could contribute a bit more and maybe we would have stayed away. I did what I could and then tried to play my cards in the final as well. But it just wasn’t to be, unfortunately.”
Still, mixing with the world’s top riders provides further confirmation that he is now on their level.
“I am really, really happy with that. I laid it all on the line and it almost paid off, so that’s all you can ask for, I think.”
Fellow Irishmen Archie Ryan, Eddie Dunbar and Conn McDunphy helped him early on. McDunphy was caught out by a crash and a dropped chain on the climb, while Ryan took a very solid 21st. Dunbar wasn’t in the same form as when he won two stages in the Vuelta a España, finishing 67th.
Ryan is a first-year professional and will take great encouragement from his performance, given that he was prominent on the climbs deep into the race and helped set Healy up for his big attack.
All attention is on Pogacar, though, who continued a formidable season. Healy was impressed by the manner of his win.
“What can you say? Just absolutely insane,” he said. “I don’t think anyone expected him to go from 100k out today.”
Seventh by Healy was one of the standouts of a strong Irish campaign. The road championships in Switzerland were combined with the paracycling worlds, and Irish duo Katie-George Dunlevy and Linda Kelly won both the tandem road race and time trial. Josephine Healion and Eve McCrystal took third in the road race and fourth against the clock.
Irish riders clocked up five other top 10 finishes, including Seth Dunwoody’s fifth and Conor Murphy’s 10th in the junior men’s time-trial, plus Darren Rafferty’s sixth and brother Adam Rafferty’s 10th place in the under-23 TT. Lucy Bénézet Minns was also 10th in the junior women’s road race.
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