Slovenian two-time Tour de France
winner and two-time runner-up Tadej Pogacar said on Monday's
Giro d'Italia second and last rest day that his 6'41'' lead over
second-placed 2018 Tour winner Geraint Thomas of the UK after
Sunday's monster mountain stage was big enough for him to save
some energy as he aims to become the first rider to do the
Giro-Tour double since the late Marco Pantani in 1998.
"We have an excellent advantage in the classification," said the
25-year-old, who won the 2020 and 2021 Tours and came second the
next two years to Dane Jonas Vingegaard, and who consolidated
his grip on this year's Giro by crossing the fearsome Mortirolo
first Sunday after coming second to Italian time trial star
Filippo Ganna in the race's second test against the clock
Saturday, having won the first one.
"In this last week we'll try not to spend too much energy in
view of the Tour de France, but always respecting the race and
the Giro d'Italia.
"I've never done the Giro and the Tour in the same year, but
everyone says that finishing the Giro well enables you to have
good legs in the Tour too. Let's hope so. Now we need to end the
race with our morale high, confident and in good shape to then
start to prepare the Grand Boucle from next week on".
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