Tadej Pogacar is one of the most versatile riders in the peloton, and 2023 could be the first year he riders two Grand Tours in a season - something which he heavily teased throughout 2022, as he could ride the Giro d'Italia before the Tour de France.
"It was a good year, but not perfect. To be such, we should have won the Tour de France 2022," Matxin told Slovenian newspaper Siol. "But we are happy that Tadej Pogačar is the number 1 cyclist in the world, first in the ranking. We have won 46 races with 16 different athletes. The grade cannot be 10, because that represents perfection: if I have to give a numerical judgment, I would say it can be 8 or 8.5."
Pogacar's season included wins at Il Lombardia, Strade Bianche, UAE Tour, Tirreno-Adriatico, Tour of Slovenia, Tre Valli Varesine and GP de Montréal, alongside top results at the Tour de France - alongside three stage wins and several days in yellow - and Top5 results at Milano-Sanremo and the Tour des Flandres, two races where he was yet to prove himself.
“Him? From 1 to 10, he is at 12. Second place in the Tour is part of his growth process. It is clear that no race is easy and winning is complicated," he continued. "This year in France he has not been at his best in just one day, while Jonas Vingegaard has always been on the same level. The Dane didn't make a single mistake. But if we look at the three stage victories, at the white jersey, in second place in the standings, at the battle he fought in each stage… for me he is the best cyclist in the world."
"He won at the beginning of the season and he won at the end. All this indicates that Tadej is well prepared and that he has the right mentality," Matxin pointed out, with the UAE Team Emirates rider having an absolutely dominant start to the year, overwhelming the competition in most races.
At 24 years of age, Pogacar has without a doubt consolidated himself at the very highest level of the sport, having already two Tour de France titles, three monuments and a whole 46 - most at World Tour level - wins as a pro rider. Many have wonder if he has already peaked in his physical condition, or if Pogacar is capable of taking his road racing to an ever higher level.
Matxin responded: “He continues to progress, every year. He studies the program he has, the races, the opponents, the adjustments that are made during the preparation. From all these experiences, he learns and gets better. Tadej learns something every day."
"Then, he is a sprinter, a climber, a one-day and three-week racing specialist. He is the most versatile runner I have ever seen. And besides, he also has an excellent character," he continued. The success is set to continue into the 2023 season, with no indications of slowing down.
This year Pogacar was initially set to ride the Tour-Vuelta double, but changed plans last minute. Could the Giro-Tour double be executed however? “The great goal remains the Tour de France. The Giro d'italia? Next year ends just three weeks before the start of the Tour. To compete in two such races with so little time between one and the other would be big stuff," he answered.
"My opinion is that, at the age of Tadej, two Grand Tours in a year are not appropriate. If the distance between Giro and Tour was 5-6 weeks, then there is a possibility. It is not an impossible thing to do, but it would have consequences in the future," he concluded. The presentation of the Giro and Tour routes will be on the 17th and 27th of October respectively.
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