“Yes, this was a demonstration by Tadej Pogacar,” reporter Carl Berteele told Radio 1 after the Tour of Lombardy.
“He is only 23 years old, but has won 13 times this season, just as many as Wout van Aert and Primoz Roglic.”
“But also look at the way he did yesterday: he attacked at 35 kilometers from the finish. So he belongs to the generation that makes the race explode quickly.”
“Look at his entire season: he already wins in the UAE Tour, then adds Liège-Bastogne-Liège, takes his 2nd Tour as a 22-year-old and now wins the Tour of Lombardy. You don’t have long after such a demonstration to look for the man of the year.”
“After his victory, he comes in a list with Eddy Merckx and Fausto Coppi: they also won after the Tour Lombardy in the same year. If you can take them as examples…”
“If you compare Tadej Pogacar with what Remco Evenepoel still wants to achieve”, Carl Berteele broaches another theme. “Pogacar is a year and a half older, but he has already eaten a few more sandwiches.”
And yet our reporter is kind to the young wolf of Deceuninck-Quick Step, who became 19th yesterday.
“The biggest victory is that he has become a rider again this year. His comeback is actually phenomenal. But when Pogacar went, he had to pass. It was a bit like Wout van Aert at the World Cup: it’s over.”
“It has been good and he has done everything he could do, but Remco Evenepoel is mainly a rider again. We have to focus on that and we cannot focus on the fact that he did not win.”
“Now let’s draw a line under last year and that fall. Remco now has to have a very good winter and then I think we will definitely be able to enjoy him again next year.”
