"We saw a tired Pogacar for the first time" - José de Cauwer following Tadej Pogacar's Amstel Gold Race win

Many conclusions could be taken from Amstel Gold Race, one being that Tadej Pogacar has entered the Ardennes classics on flying form and could win all three races. Going into detail on his performance this Sunday, José de Cauwer argues that towards the end he may have shown a moment of weakness.

"...He made it difficult for himself by going so early and there was also a lot of stress with that flat tire. At the end we saw a tired Pogacar for the first time," De Cauwer analyzed after the race for Sporza. "You can hardly talk about a dip in form, it had nothing to do with that. Well with the circumstances and maybe he had eaten a little too little. You saw that with Tom Pidcock, a real victim."

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The argument revolves around Pogacar's ride in the final kilometers of the race, where he lost some seconds to second placed rider Ben Healy. The reasons for that only UAE Team Emirates know, but notes have been taken on a possible difficulty. His race, despite being a dominant win, caught the attention more due to the brief moments of drafting he got from a race organization car, which has sparked a lot of criticism and debate over how that could take place in such way.

"What I say now does not detract from Tadej Pogacar's merit. But he got help from his support vehicle, where others may not get it," Karl Vannieuwkerke argued. "And in the final, when Ben Healy came closer, suddenly there was the car of race director Leo van Vliet with Walter Planckaert at the wheel. They helped him in a difficult moment."

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"The car was too close, but I don't think the moment lasted too long" - Tadej Pogacar plays down Amstel Gold Race slipstream controversy

Pogacar took the victory after a 28-kilometer solo attack, with 38 seconds of advantage over the Irishman. At Flèche Wallone he's struggled to perform in the past but will take to the start as the man to beat at the Mur de Huy, but eyes already lay on Liège-Bastogne-Liège which takes place this Sunday.

"Maybe we'll get a duel. It is so important because everything started for Evenepoel last year in Liège. The new Evenepoel has risen and it has hardly gone wrong since," De Cauwer continued. "We expect that great battle between them. Pogacar is the standard, Evenepoel is coming. It is the last classic of the first, the first of Evenepoel."

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"That's not true at all" - Amstel Gold Race Director Leo van Vliet denies his car gave Tadej Pogacar slipstream boost

In the possible scenario that the two would sprint it out for a win at Liège-Bastogne-Liège, De Cauwer gave his opinion on who would win it: "Based on the sprint speed in those previous sprints in Liège against Roglic and Alaphilippe, among others, I would say Pogacar."

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"We all hoped that Tadej Pogacar would win" - Amstel Gold Race director Leo van Vliet

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