"Got the traditional Italian TV motorbike assist": Tre Valli Varesine motos criticized for helping Tadej Pogacar
Cycling
Tre Valli Varesine on Tuesday was another in the line of Italian autumn Classics, forming a pathway towards the final Monument of the year - Il Lombardia. After the recent European Championships concluded, the race enjoyed an exciting startlist featuring the World and European Champion Tadej Pogacar who started as an overwhelming favourite and confirmed the pre-race predictions with a solo victory after an attack with 22 kilometers to go.
However that situation sparked a controversy as the race footage showed a TV motorbike just about narrowly staying in front of Pogacar who had just accelerated in descent. It has been immediately pointed out that the man in rainbow jersey received an unfair advantage over the rivals trying to catch up to the Slovenian after his attack. The wind draft allowed Pogacar to rapidly build a lead that he wouldn't lose.
"Got the traditional Italian TV motorbike assist there not that he needed it," reacted ex-professional Tom Danielson on X. "He smartly blasted the corners and then got the pull out of them with the motorbike while Quinn did not. I think without it Quinn would have closed the gap. Nothing would have changed as Tadej went nuts right after on the climb as I would expect he planned."
Pogacar eventually crossed the finish line 46 seconds ahead of a 30-man group which featured his teammate Isaac del Toro among others.
Ondrej ZhasilCycling Journalist
Ondřej Zhasil is a cycling journalist at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2023. He is based in Ostrava, the third-largest city in the Czech Republic, and covers professional cycling across the main UCI competitions, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España. A key focus of his work is startlist analysis and pre-race coverage, where he examines team selections, rider line-ups, and tactical scenarios ahead of major events.
Alongside WorldTour coverage, Ondřej has developed specific expertise in junior cycling and in racing across East Asia, including competitions in China and Japan. He also maintains a broad working knowledge of other disciplines and levels, including cyclocross, while continuing to expand his understanding of mountain bike racing.
Ondřej holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Physics, which supports his analytical, data-driven approach to performance and race analysis. In his reporting, he regularly uses ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available.
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