Pogacar eyes first world title with confidence boost after Montreal victory

MONTREAL: Tour de France champion Tadej Pogacar is gearing up for this month’s Road World Championships, seeking his first world title after securing a confidence-boosting victory at the Grand Prix Cycliste de Montreal on Sunday. The 25-year-old Slovenian, who clinched his third Tour de France win in July, is aiming to join an elite group of cyclists to complete the “Triple Crown” of cycling, a feat only Belgium’s Eddy Merckx and Ireland’s Stephen Roche have achieved.

Pogacar, who also boasts a Giro d’Italia title, finished third in last year’s World Championships in Glasgow. After his win in Montreal, he expressed his optimism heading into the Worlds. “For sure, today gave me a lot of confidence and motivation,” Pogacar said.

He acknowledged that there’s little time left for major adjustments before the competition but added that the upcoming training will fine-tune his form. With a course better suited to his strengths this year, Pogacar is confident his chances are stronger than ever. “The chance is always there… This year it is much better, so the chances for me are bigger,” he noted.