Tadej Pogacar prioritizes safety on stage 4 finale: "At the top of Capo Mele I retreated and looked at the chaos before me"

Tadej Pogacar was not on the attack for the first day in this Giro d'Italia. The UAE Team Emirates rode safely into the fast finale in Andora and preserved the lead of the race over Geraint Thomas as was the case the day before.

“It was a relatively calm day, especially because the team did a good job. They kept me safe at the front in all parts of the course, and well entertained too. It was a good day for us," Pogacar said in a post-race interview, despite having overcome a day with many crashes, rain and a high-speed finale. But this time around, he did not attack in the final ascent or try to be part of the leadout for Juan Sebastián Molano.

“That would be too dangerous, even if Molano had fully returned. At the top of Capo Mele I retreated and looked at the chaos before me," he explained. The Slovenian crossed the line in the middle of the peloton, keeping his pink jersey secured for another day - one where he wore black shorts, after reportedly being threatened a disqualification in case he used the organization-given purple shorts as in stage 3.

“He had a difficult day," Pogacar said of his Colombian teammate who had hoped to be a part of the sprints in this Giro: "Molano fell and had a bike change in the last 15 kilometers. It is difficult to get back on roads like this, especially if you don't have a team around you. It's a tough Giro for him, but he's enjoying it. He will still try to win his stage.”