Pogacar prepares for world championships with victory in Montreal

Tadej Pogacar won the Grand Prix Cycliste de Montreal on Sunday for his first triumph since winning his third Tour de France in July.

Pogacar skipped the Olympics but joined a stong field for the two Grand Prix in Canada this week with riders seeking top form ahead of the world championships in two weeks.

The Slovenian UAE rider attacked late in the race of 17 laps of 12.3 kilometres around Montreal for his 21st win of the season by a clear margin.

Pello Bilbao of Spain was second at 24 seconds with a clutch of riders contesting a sprint for third where Julian Alaphilippe of France took the photo finish another 16 seconds back for third after the tough five hours slog in 28C (82f) heat.

The 25-year-old Pogacar also won here in 2022.

“It was great racing and we did exactly what we wanted to,” he said of his UAE Team who chaperoned Pogacar until he attacked with two laps to go, dropping Alaphilippe and American rider Matteo Jorgenson.

“It was super hot, super hard. A bit too hot for me to be honest,” said a drained looking Pogacar at the finish.

The Montreal GP is a highly respected one-day classic but the field at the world championships in two weeks time will be far stronger.

“This was great preparation, a motivational boost for two weeks ahead. I can’t wait for Zurich,” said Pogacar, who was third at the Glasgow worlds in 2023.

Jayco rider Michael Matthews won the Grand Prix Cycliste de Quebec on Friday in a tight final sprint ahead of Biniam Girmay and Rudy Molard while Pogacar came seventh there on his first outing since July.