"We are no longer sure that this is still the case" - Not even Van der Poel and Vingegaard may be competitors to Tadej Pogacar anymore, for L'Equipe

Tadej Pogacar has won countless races this season and has done what many thought, until years ago, was rather impossible in modern cycling. His palmarès grew this year further than any pro rider has ever done in the history of the sport and it is argued that maybe even Mathieu van der Poel and Jonas Vingegaard are starting to be too distant from the Slovenian.

"Remco Evenepoel stayed in place, but if Pogacar is there, that's second place. The Belgian did not even try to hold on to the Slovenian's wheel when he attacked. He knew it was in vain, that there was nothing else to gain than to be blown up," L'Équipe wrote on this Sunday's edition. We saw a strong Evenepoel in Italy this Saturday, one who climbed well, made the difference on the descent to his rivals and then held off a strong group of climbers. But he crossed the line over three minutes behind Tadej Pogacar.

It was an expected win however, with the World Champion attacking exactly where everyone already expected him to, but simply having no response to his move. Not only his attack, but the way he continues to grow the gap throughout the final hour of racing is simply too much for his rivals. The French news outlet's commentary is not surprising, since this is how he took several wins this year and more specifically in recent weeks.

"And then the enormous gap with the rest of the world. From the Strade Bianche in early March, the first day of the race and his first success, to Lombardy on Saturday, he crushed his opponents. He began by demonstrating his superiority, his difference from others, the world that separates them from him," they argue.

Even the top riders that stood beside him look distant now when it comes to their ability to win the big races: "Around him now is the desert. We only knew two real opponents of his, Mathieu Van der Poel in the classics and Jonas Vingegaard in the Tour de France, the only ones who could break his back. But we are no longer sure that this is still the case, even if we cannot wait to see how the Dane will rebuild himself with a view to July."