PARIS: Cycling superstar Tadej Pogacar was awarded the Velo d’Or, as men’s rider of the year, on Friday in recognition of his Giro d’Italia, Tour de France and world championship sweep.
Belgian world champion Lotte Kopecky won the women’s Velo d’Or award, voted by a jury of 40 journalists.
Slovenian Team UAE rider Pogacar towered above his rivals in 2024, reclaiming the Tour de France for his third triumph in the race, and winning his debut Giro d’Italia, the world title in Switzerland after skipping the Olympic Games.
Ireland’s Stephen Roche was the last rider to win the Triple Crown back in 1987.
In all, Pogacar took a jaw-dropping 25 wins, including two of the one-day Monuments: Liege-Bastogne-Liege and the Tour of Lombardy.
Picking up his second Velo d’Or after 2021, Pogacar said he was more appreciative the second time around.
“I was still young,” said the 26-year-old. “As the years pass, we realise the importance of things. I feel honoured that all the work has been recognised,” he said.
“It will be almost impossible to have another year like this, but I will do my best,” said the Slovenian, who picked up six individual stage wins on both the Tour de France and the Giro.
Pogacar has 88 victories since joining UAE in 2019 and has a blockbuster contract running until 2030 with the Gulf-backed outfit.
The 29-year-old Kopecky won 16 races and successfully retained the world title.
“I really wanted to add this to my list of honours,” she said.
Published in Dawn, December 8th, 2024
