Giro d'Italia: Jhonatan Narvaez on beating Tadej Pogacar in 'special' Stage 1 victory - 'He went too long'
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Published 04/05/2024 at 20:55 GMT
After a closely-fought battle, Jhonatan Narvaez swooped for victory in the opening stage of the Giro d'Italia, live on Eurosport and discovery+. After the race, Narvaez explained how he got the better of the Slovenian, saying he "went too long". Competition favourite Pogacar remained upbeat despite the third-placed finish. "I think it’s going to be a good Giro", he said.
Giro d'Italia Stage 1 highlights as Narvaez roars past Pogacar to victory
Giro d'Italia Stage 1 winner Jhonatan Narvaez said it was "really, really hard" to keep pace with Tadej Pogacar up the stage's final climb, ahead of the final sprint which saw him pip the Slovenian to victory.
Pogacar raced up the final uncategorised climb of the opening stage of the first Grand Tour of the season, with only Ineos Grenadiers' Narvaez and Max Schachmann (Bora-Hansgrohe) able to keep pace.
When asked by reporters how difficult it was to remain within touching distance of the two-time Tour de France winner, Narvaez said: "It still hurts me now. [It was] really, really hard."
Further dissecting the victory, Narvaez explained how he thought Pogacar started sprinting too early, allowing him to swoop in for a last-gasp overtake.
“It was a great feeling," he said. "We know with the team it’s going to be a good stage for me, I worked a lot on it. Also following the best guy in the world in the climb was really hard so it’s a special victory today.
"It was really, really hard. In the end I made it. I think he [Pogacar] went too long, 200m after a really hard stage. I did a shorter sprint, in the end I took the victory.”
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When was the last time anyone kept up with Pogacar, ask Breakaway team after Narvaez brilliance
'I gave it everything' - Pogacar
Pogacar agreed with Narvaez' assessment, and credited the Ecuadorian for a "super strong" display.
“He followed my wheel really well and the group on the front had too big a gap in the bottom," Pogacar said.
“I tried, I gave it everything and I still dropped GC riders, and this is the sign that I have good legs. But when we come to the top of the climb and Narvaez was still with me, I knew he would be hard to beat in the sprint.
“I was also a bit nervous because it’s been a long time since I was in a sprint with three guys. So I started too early, but Narvaez was obviously faster. I didn’t have too much chance, but anyway, it was a really good effort today.”
Pogacar, who entered the Giro d'Italia as favourite, remained upbeat about the remainder of the three-week-long Grand Tour, despite finishing behind both Narvaez and Schachmann.
“It was our first day at the Giro, a short and fast stage which we tried to control,” Pogacar said in a statement. “Unfortunately it was not our day but we still did a good job I think."
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'He went too long' - Narvaez dissects how he beat Pogacar on Stage 1
After the race, he added: “It’s always a bit 50/50 on the first day, we see some riders suffering and some feeling good, so I think also in our team, we’re going step by step, day by day.
“Tomorrow is more suited as a stage for us, I would say, so we’ll see how the legs are going after today’s effort. But I think it’s going to be a good Giro.”
The Giro d'Italia continues for its second stage on Sunday, live on Eurosport and discovery+, as riders take on the hilly terrains from San Francesco al Campo to Santuario di Oropa.
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