Pogacar satisfied despite seventh place: Matthews wins in Quebec

Celebrated his third victory in Quebec: Michael Matthews.
IMAGO/ZUMA Press

Pogacar missed another big win on his return to racing after an eight-week break. In the World Tour race for the Grand Prix of Quebec in Canada, the three-time Tour champion from Slovenia had to settle for seventh place after 201.6 km as Australian Michael Matthews won.

Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) attacked on the last lap of the selective course with tough climbs, but was unable to gain a decisive lead. This resulted in a sprint between a large group, which was won by Matthews (Jayco-AlUla). The 33-year-old won third place in the 13th edition of the race after 2018 and 2019.

Biniam Girmay (Eritrea), who won the green jersey at the Tour de France, came second, ahead of Frenchman Rudy Mollard. The best German was Maximilian Schachmann from Berlin, from the Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe team, in 27th place.

“I didn’t expect to have such good legs again,” Pogacar was nevertheless satisfied. “I’m also very happy with my form and how I handled the first race after a short break. I think I’m now ready for Sunday and the World Championship.”

After his dominant victory in the Tour de France, Pogacar decided not to take part in the Olympic Games in Paris. The Slovenian justified this not only with physical exhaustion but also with anger over the non-nomination of his girlfriend Urska Zigart.

Pogacar will win the World Championship title in Zurich

Pogacar will ride the Quebec sister race in Montreal on Sunday, then head back to Europe. Pogacar will become world champion for the first time in Zurich on September 29, and in the road race he is likely to face Belgium’s Olympic champion Remco Evenepoel for gold.

Pogacar has also set his sights on the last cycling monument of the year: on October 12th he will become the second rider after the legendary Fausto Coppi to win the Tour of Lombardy for the fourth time in the series.

Quebec Grand Prix in Quebec (201.60 km):

1. Michael Matthews (Australia) – Team Jayco AlUla 4:45:36 hrs.; 2. Biniam Girmay Hailu (Eritrea) – Intermarché-Wanty + 0 sec.; 3. Rudy Molard (France) – Groupama-FDJ; 4. Tiesj Benoot (Belgium) – Team Visma; 5. Per Strand Hagenes (Norway) – Team Visma; 6. Bauke Mollema (Netherlands) – Lidl-Trek; 7. Tadej Pogacar (Slovenia) – UAE Team Emirates; 8. Neilson Powless (USA) – EF Education-EasyPost; 9. Pello Bilbao (Spain) – Bahrain victorious; 10. Edoardo Zambanini (Italy) – Bahrain victorious; … 27. Maximilian Schachmann (Germany) – Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe; 48. Jonas Koch (Schwäbisch Hall) – Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe +11