Nothing can stop Pogačar 😲 Tadej fought off painful cramps towards the end of his historic Il Lombardia victory 🙌 @TamauPogi @TeamEmiratesUAE
Tadej Pogacar recalls how "a mixed drink of cucumber juice, salt and vinegar" helped him stave off cramp to win Il Lombardia
CyclingSunday, 24 December 2023 at 12:22
For the third straight year, Tadej Pogacar triumphed at Il Lombardia in 2023. Although you may not have seen it at the time however, the Slovenian's victory this year was helped massively by something as simple as a drink.
"I was a bit panicky. I thought I would be able to make the descent with a gap, but climbing with a cramp would be impossible," recalls the UAE Team Emirates leader to Matt Stephens on the Sigma Sports Cafe Ride video series. "The first support vehicle had a flat tire and I didn't know if the second one was there yet. I asked for help on the radio, but I thought there was no one to help me."
Battling the likes of Primoz Roglic, Andrea Bagioli, Aleksandr Vlasov and the Yates' brothers among others is a tricky proposal at the best of times. To do so whilst also battling cramp however, would be nearly impossible. Thankfully for Pogacar, his team car did arrive and with the perfect remedy as well.
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"Luckily the second car was there and they gave me a mixed drink of cucumber juice, salt and vinegar. That really helps," he explains. "Electrolytes and salt work and I was a bit sick, so I had a runny nose. Then you lose more fluid and there you get cramps because of dehydration. Normally I don't get cramps, only during foot massages."
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- Thanks Dadmobk22-12-2024
- Hard to believe with the advancment of modern medicine he can not find a cause for this.frieders321-12-2024
- You continue to platform these two cheats. With that in mind I can no longer use your site. I know my leaving means little, but, sometimes you have to take a stand. See ya!DJ21-12-2024
- Look at what Froome’s won since his last TdF, stop denying there is still more than possible one outcome to the future.Mistermaumau21-12-2024
- Bruyneel understands nothing about clean competition.Sweep21-12-2024
- Exactly. Remco won 3 WT races/stages last year compared to Pogocar's 19. Remco's single stage win in last years TdF earned him a meager 12 seconds over Pogocar who shellac'd him by 9 minutes in GC.Sweep21-12-2024
- Fortunately and as you point out, more than one strategy is possible and worth trying and I’m sure all concerned riders are well informed and counselled on this subject and don’t need such basic personal advice through media from an outsider.Mistermaumau21-12-2024
- The main SPOTY award is "decided" by public vote but the BBC "expert panel" decide who you can choose from, that choice has an equal split of genders and is focussed on the sports BBC show and a disabled athlete. Oh yea the ubiquitous "Pub Games" candidate there too, Darts and Snooker are not sports. The other awards are decided by the "Expert Panel" again it's about the sports BBC show, cycling has had it. Cav got his for his years and achievements in the sport, not just that 35th TDF win. Unless the BBC get access to Pro Cycling it will never feature "adequately" on SPOTYslappers6621-12-2024
- Ahhh..... you have to understand the "strange" diversity concepts of the BBCslappers6621-12-2024
- Avoiding him is a good strategy, you get more wins and then you can compete in the TDF relatively relaxed. Pit yourself against Pogi and not only there will be no wins, it will be considerable mental setbackabstractengineer21-12-2024