Another remarkable feat for Tadej Pogacar, who, after claiming the Giro d’Italia and Tour de France titles, now adds the World Championship in Zurich to his list of achievements, echoing the triumphs of Merckx in 1974 and Roche in 1987.
It was an awe-inspiring display of strength from the Slovenian cyclist, who launched an attack 100 km from the finish line. Pogacar left behind Italy’s Andrea Bagioli and began chasing a group of outsiders. At 76 km, he launched a second attack, which secured his path to glory and delivered Slovenia its first-ever World Championship gold medal in cycling.
Silver went to Australian cyclist Ben O'Connor, who rides for the Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team. After his gold medal in the relay event, O’Connor confirmed his excellent form with a second-place finish, following his runner-up spot at the Vuelta. Third place and the bronze medal were claimed by Mathieu Van der Poel, who staged a strong comeback but ultimately could not threaten Pogacar, who crossed the line 34 seconds ahead.
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The Italians finished far behind, with Giulio Ciccone being the top finisher in 25th place, over six minutes behind the world champion. This result reflects the current state of Italian professional cycling. The nation's hopes lie with young talents like Lorenzo Finn, who, after his junior world title, also triumphed in the Olgiate Molgora-Madonna del Ghisallo race.
