Tirreno-Adriatico stage 6: Tadej Pogačar crushes crucial climbing stage, extends overall lead

Tadej Pogačar (UAE Emirates) won his second stage of the 2022 Tirreno-Adriatico with a devastating performance over the so-called “Pantani climb” of Monte Carpegna on Saturday.

The Slovenian attacked 17km from the finish, reached the top of the second of two Carpegna ascents with a huge lead of 1:27 over a small group of chasers consisting of Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma), Mikel Landa (Bahrain-Victorious), Enric Mas (Movistar) and Richie Porte (Ineos Grenadiers), then descended the final 12km to take victory.

Vingegaard and Landa finished together to take second and third respectively after Mas crashed and Porte was distanced on the descent.

As a result, Vingegaard moves up to second on GC and Landa up to third after Remco Evenepoel (Quick-Step-Alpha Vinyl) had been distanced earlier in the day. Pogačar takes a commanding 1:52 lead into the final sprint stage Sunday.

🔱 Tirreno Adriatico @eolo_it 2022

👑 Padrone indiscusso @TamauPogi

👑 Undisputed ruler @TamauPogi #TirrenoAdriatico pic.twitter.com/pZIKV0OUQW

— Tirreno Adriatico (@TirrenAdriatico) March 12, 2022

Pogačar did have one small wobble on the cold, dangerous Carpegna descent, where snow lined either side of the roadside. But aside from that, this was another flawless performance from the 23-year-old, who currently looks unbeatable.

“I didn’t even think about trying to go with him,” said a resigned Vingegaard at the finish. “He was just incredible today, so much better than anyone else.”

🇮🇹 #TirrenoAdriatico

Jonas Vingegaard finished 2️⃣nd place in today’s queen stage! Because of this result he also climbs to 2️⃣nd place in the GC!👏👏 pic.twitter.com/ALnYlBEg6a

— Team Jumbo-Visma cycling (@JumboVismaRoad) March 12, 2022

It was clear that Pogacar’s UAE Team Emirates had a stage victory in their plans when they, along with Jumbo-Visma, made sure that the day’s break did not survive.

“It was really amazing work,” Pogačar said of his team. “They brought me to the last climb, and I had good legs, so we decided to go for it. Marc [Soler] did a good pace at the start, then there were some attacks, and I decided to go at my own pace to the top. I tried my best to get warm, because it was super-cold today.

“When the guys are pulling all day in a headwind for 200 kilometers every day, to take the stage win on such an important day is a really good feeling.”

UAE Team Emirates had brought the gap down from the peloton to the break to less than two minutes by the official start of the first of the day’s two ascents of Monte Carpegna.

Julian Alaphilippe (Quick-Step-Alpha Vinyl) had been the marquee name in that group, and was one of just five riders along with Benoit Cosnefroy (Ag2r Citroen), Quinn Simmons (Trek-Segafredo), Alex Aranburu and Luis Mas (both Movistar) to still be present at this point.

Simmons, who had already taken maximum points on the previous cat.2 climb of the day, was eager to seal victory in the King of the Mountains classification, and one by one dropped the other riders until he was alone two kilometers from the top.

The Coloradan was successful and crested the top with a lead of 30 seconds after all the other escapees had been swallowed up.

The bunch behind had been significantly reduced, with Evenepoel the most significant name to have been dropped on the climb, along with Tao Geoghegan Hart (Ineos Grenadiers).

An attack from Damiano Caruso (Bahrain-Victorious) over the top of the climb reduced the group of favorites further to just eight riders ahead of a very technical descent.

Pogacar, Vingegaard, Mas, Jai Hindley (Bora-Hansgrohe), Giulio Ciccone (Trek-Segafredo) and Caruso’s teammates Landa and Pello Bilbao were all present, but Porte, Thymen Arensman, Romain Bardet (both DSM), Marc Soler (UAE Team Emirates) and Thibaut Pinot (Groupama-FDJ) took time to bridge back up.

Simmons was caught and passed by this group on the descent so that by the start of the second time up Monte Carpegna, this group was the front of the race.

Landa attacked from almost the foot of the climb, with only Pogačar, Mas and Vingegaard able to follow. But it was Pogačar’s attack one kilometer later that proved to be the race-winning move, with none of the others having any answer to his formidable acceleration.

✈️ Vola @TamauPogi!

✈️ @TamauPogi flies away!#TirrenoAdriatico @TeamEmiratesUAE pic.twitter.com/Z5rU1ZDcWm

— Tirreno Adriatico (@TirrenAdriatico) March 12, 2022