PRATO DI TIVO, Italy — Tadej Pogacar continues to dominate the Giro d’Italia and rack up the stage victories on his debut in the Italian grand tour.
Pogacar claimed victory Saturday at Prato di Tivo on the summit finish of the eighth stage - the hardest of the race so far - to extend his overall lead and make it three wins in his first eight days at the Giro.
The Slovenian cyclist had time - and energy - to raise his arms above his head in celebration as he crossed the line, edging out Daniel Martinez and Ben O’Connor in a sprint among the contenders to add another few seconds to his already considerable lead.
Pogacar, who blew everyone away in Friday’s time trial to strengthen his grip on the pink jersey, extended his advantage to 2 minutes, 40 seconds over Martinez. Last year’s runner-up Geraint Thomas was 2:58 behind.
Two-time Tour de France winner Pogacar is attempting the Giro-Tour double this year.
Saturday’s stage saw the race hit the high mountains of the Apennines and had been given a five-star rating for maximum difficulty.
It featured the race’s second uphill finish - a top-category climb of more than 14 kilometers (nine miles) to Prato di Tivo - and the riders were constantly ascending or descending, with no flat sectors on the 152-kilometer (94-mile) route from Spoleto that also featured two other categorized climbs.
Sunday’s ninth stage is a 214-kilometer (133-mile) route from Avezzano to Napoli that features just one fourth-category climb. That also comes before the race’s first rest day.
The Giro ends in Rome on May 26.
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