Cycling: Five things we learned from the Giro d'Italia

The 2024 Giro d’Italia is done and dusted, with Tadej Pogacar dominating the first grand tour of the season from start to finish.

Heading into the Giro, Pogacar was expected to dominate, and that is exactly how it turned out as he rode away with ease to claim the general classification.

Despite the domination of Pogacar, it still turned out to be an exciting three weeks of racing.

Here are the five things we learned from the Giro d’Italia.

Pogacar is on another planet

Tadej Pogacar was the hot fancy heading into the Giro and many predicted only a crash or illness could stop him.

Thankfully he avoided both and went on to dominate the race from start to finish.

Daniel Martinez, who finished second, was a massive 9mins 59 seconds behind him, while Geraint Thomas was a further 28 seconds behind in third.

It proved that unless Visma-Lease rider Jonas Vingegaard is in the race, there is no-one who can really compete with the Slovenian.

Pogacar on course for Tour de France glory

Pogacar revealed at the start of the season that he would be targeting the Giro d’Italia-Tour de France double.

It has not been achieved since Marco Pantani won both in the same season back in 1998, but Pogacar is on course to do it.

The first part of the mission is in the bag and Pogacar will now turn focus to preparing for the second part.

He is 1.33 to win the Tour de France, and once again, as long as he avoids crashes and illness, he should do it.

Only one man can stop Pogacar

Most cycling experts and fans will agree, there is only one man that can stop Pogacar and that man is Jonas Vingegaard.

The Danish rider has won the Tour in each of the last two years, beating Pogacar to hold the yellow jersey in Paris.

However, following a serious crash, it has yet to be confirmed if Vingegaard will make it to the start line for the 2024 Tour de France.

And even if he does make it, will he have had the right kind of preparation, and will he be in the right condition to be able to challenge Pogacar?

Primoz Roglic will ride the Tour and is 5.00 to win it, while Remco Evenepoel is 9.00.

Both are more of a threat to Pogacar, but the jury is out on whether they have what it takes to topple him and win the Tour de France.

Thomas' time looks to be up

Geraint Thomas had a solid Giro d’Italia and will be pleased to have finished on the podium.

What the race did prove, however, is that the Welshman’s days as a general classification contender are over.

Thomas is now 38 and the rest of the competition is just too good. He will ride the Tour de France but is priced at 201.00 to win it, which says it all.

However, Thomas has won the Tour already and can hold his head up high when the time comes to hang up the bike.

Race organisers get it right

The Giro d’Italia route has often been criticised in recent years, but in 2024 the race organisers RCS got it spot on.

The stages were not too long and gruelling and it made for some exciting and, at times, unpredictable racing.

Yes, Pogacar won the general classification and six stages, but the race was still the most entertaining Giro in recent years.