"It's a bit like a game" - Tadej Pogacar shows no signs of conservatism with thrilling late attack on stage 3 of 2024 Giro d'Italia

With the Maglia Rosa already somewhat comfortably on his shoulders and 18 stages of the Giro d'Italia plus the Tour de France still to come in the coming weeks and months, Tadej Pogacar would have been forgiven for having a quiet day on the sprint-friendly stage 3 of the 2024 Giro. Doing typically Pogacar things however, this wasn't how it turned out.

Attacking in the finale alongside fellow Maglia Rosa contender Geraint Thomas and initially at least, Mikkel Honore, Pogacar almost upset the sprint trains before he and the INEOS Grenadiers leader were caught with just a few hundred metres to go as the sprinters, led by stage-winner Tim Merlier, eventually took the spoils on stage 3.

"It wasn't an attack, I just followed the others' wheel. That made it a good situation, with me, Mikkel Honoré and Thomas. We tried to go all the way to the finish, but I actually didn't believe we could make it. I actually didn't expect 'G' to ride along. So I do respect that. I tried, but it was still too long to the finish,” reflects Pogacar in his post-stage interview. "It's a bit like a game, like back in the days with the friends when you attack each other on the flat and small climbs, this suits me quite well."

"All in all it wasn't too hard a day, the first few hours were very quiet and nothing happened. The last hour was very fast, I could feel the nervousness in the peloton," the UAE Team Emirates leader concludes. “Like I said, it wasn't actually my attack. I just followed the other guys to stay in position. After that we continued riding, but that was a bit of stretching the legs."

And on the comments about him spending his energy supply needlessly, Pogacar is defiant. "So far I haven’t spent any Euros. I’m on a paid holiday since six days," he smiles.