“I was not expecting these good legs to be back" - Tadej Pogacar pleasantly surprised by form in Canada as World Championships loom
Cycling
Whilst he wasn't able to win on his return to racing in Quebec on Friday, Tadej Pogacar has been pleasantly by the form he showed. With another chance for victory in Montreal this Sunday, the Slovenian looks set to head to the World Championships in Zurich full of confidence.
“It’s really good. I was not expecting these good legs to be back. I am super happy with the shape and how I managed the first race after a bit of rest," says the UAE Team Emirates leader in quotes collected by Velo ahead of the GP Montreal. “So I think I am ready for Sunday and the world championships.”
After having a well earned rest following the Tour de France, Pogacar admitted ahead of his trip to North America that he was a little unsure about how he would perform on his return. Attacking and bright in the finale, before eventually finishing in 7th, Pogacar was happy with his efforts. “It was a really good race,” he said. “The team did a super good job. I wanted a hard final and we did it. We managed to do a really hard last couple of laps. I wasn’t sure of my last kilometre if I would attack or not. I made the wrong decision, waited for a sprint and I was boxed in.”
A big obstacle to Pogacar's plans for a longer attack in the finale was the presence of Lotto Dstny riders on his back wheel. “That is why I did not go for a longer attack. I looked back and there was still a gap with one K to go,” he explained. “With three guys from Lotto, I was thinking we will make it to the finish but the group was coming from behind really fast. I should have launched it from before and maybe I could stay away. But it is what it is. It was fun racing and I enjoyed it a lot.”
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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- Are you MrMauMau 2.0? Nothing you are saying is really relevant. Vaguely connected, but irrelevant. The conversation is whether Schreiber impeded Brand or not.
Rafionain-Glas08-11-2026 - He is boring
leedorney08-11-2026 - To Twoje przemyślenia te bla, bla :)
Dariusz08-11-2026 - Uwielbiam patrzeć, jak wyjeżdża na czoło peletonu i zaczyna się rzeź...Dariusz08-11-2026
- Yeah, unreal.
parisbound0008-11-2026 - there needs to be space in life for pointless comments!Ketterechts08-11-2026
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