Fans posed a challenge to Tadej Pogacar on Stage 20 at the Giro d’Italia. One pushed him, another filled his path with pink flare smoke, and many sought selfies as he swept past. On The Breakaway, Nathan Van Hooydonck emphasised the importance of fan limits, praising their enthusiasm but urging respect for riders. Pogacar will be crowned in Rome when the Giro wraps up on Sunday.
Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) may be set to win the Giro d’Italia by almost 10 minutes, but the runaway maglia rosa had to navigate some revved-up fans as he soloed to a stunning sixth victory on Stage 20.
Pogacar ripped away from his general classification also-rans with 5km remaining of the second and final ascent of the imposing Monte Grappa.
After catching, and then spitting out, lone frontrunner Giulio Pellizzari (VF Group-Bardiani CSF–Faizane), the Slovenian had one final test: survive the roadside spectators.
It was no easy task. He was left smarting after a fan immediately gave him a shove on the back, then had to stay composed when another sent a stream of pink smog into his path from a flare.
The drama continued as he tackled gauntlet after gauntlet of encroaching fans, some keen to get a selfie with the champion elect, before the barriers finally arrived as he crested the climb.
Over on The Breakaway, the gang said that while the fans helped create iconic atmospheres at cycling’s biggest races, they must know where the limit is.
“Cycling is nothing without its fans,” said former Jumbo-Visma star Nathan Van Hooydonck. “They make it a special experience, also for the riders. But you need to respect the riders and you need to respect their efforts.
“He doesn’t need a push! He’s going more than fast enough.”
Pogacar was spotted using his hands to move the crowd out of the way, with no obvious path for him at points on the climb.
“I can understand these people getting very excited. But they also need to understand that this rider is suffering – Tadej won by a big margin, but he is suffering,” Van Hooydonck continued.
“If you get hampered by somebody running alongside you, which I find very annoying when that happens, he might stumble and make you crash. This is something you are desperately trying to avoid as a rider.”
Pogacar will take an enormous 9’56” lead into the final stage in Rome, knowing he only has to stay upright to win a maiden Giro crown.
Dan Lloyd added: “It’s so hard when you’ve got that many thousands of people on the side of the road. It’s fantastic for the atmosphere.
“But there’s always going to be one, or two, or 10, who are just a bit silly and ruin it for everyone else.”
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