Tadej Pogačar wants to end 2022 on a high at Giro dell’Emilia and Il Lombardia

Tadej Pogačar hopes to end his season on a high by closing out his 2022 campaign in Italy with ambitions of one more win.

Pogačar (UAE Emirates) will skip Wednesday’s Coppa Agostoni, and lines up to race Giro dell’Emilia on Saturday and then defend his title at Il Lombardia on October 8.

“Last year was my first time doing this Italian block of races and it’s a period I really enjoyed,” Pogačar said Wednesday. “To win in Lombardia was the perfect end to the season, and we are motivated to go back and try to repeat that.”

After missing out the medals in Wollongong at the UCI Road World Championships with 19th, the two-time Tour de France winner rejoins his UAE Emirates teammates in his final dates of 2022.

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Pogačar left Australia disappointed, especially after showing he had the legs to contend for the rainbow jersey with victory at GP de Montréal in September.

Remco Evenepoel ruined the script, and Pogačar was among riders who later questioned the rule of racing without race radio during the road worlds. Several riders in the lead bunch said that without accurate time splits or race radio they were unaware they were sprinting for medals behind Evenepoel’s solo victory.

Pogačar is never one to look back too long, and he’s intent on finishing off what’s been another impressive season for the 24-year-old even if he did not win a third yellow jersey.

“The Giro dell’Emilia is a hard circuit race and an exciting one for the fans. I’ve been taking it easy since getting back home from Australia, so we’ll see how the form is for Saturday,” Pogačar said. “I’m looking forward to a good buildup to Lombardia, which is sure to be a special race to finish the year.”

At Coppa Agostoni on Wednesday, UAE officials said the team will look to the experience of Diego Ulissi as well as the in-form Marc Hirschi, who claimed victory at the Giro Della Toscana earlier this month.

Coppa Agostoni-Giro delle Brianze (1.1), Wednesday

George Bennett (NZ)
Alessandro Covi (Ita)
Davide Formolo (Ita)
Marc Hirschi (Swi)
Vegard Stake Laengen (Nor)
Arthur Kluckers (Lux)
Diego Ulissi (Ita)

Giro dell’Emilia (1.Pro), Saturday

George Bennett (NZ)
Alessandro Covi (Ita)
Davide Formolo (Ita)
Marc Hirschi (Swi)
Rafal Majka (Pol)
Tadej Pogačar (Slo)
Marc Soler (Spa)