Tadej Pogačar has won his first world championship title in Zurich after a daring, self-described “stupid” attack, launching a 100-km solo raid that etched his name deeper into cycling history.

The Slovenian dynamo, who blew up the race with a reckless yet brilliant offensive, became only the third rider—after Eddy Merckx in 1974 and Stephen Roche in 1987—to win the Giro d’Italia, Tour de France, and World Championships in the same year.

Pogačar triumphed with a 34-second advantage over Australian Ben O’Connor and 58 seconds ahead of defending champion Mathieu van der Poel. His astonishing effort defied conventional cycling strategy, with most considering such an early move unwise. Men Elite Road Race Results

“I thought, ‘What are you doing? You’re shooting yourself in the foot.’ That wasn’t the plan—it was just stupid,” he reflected on Sunday after completing one of the sport’s most remarkable feats.

The audacity of his move left his competitors in disbelief. “Of course, I was surprised. There were 100 km left. Normally, that’s suicidal,” said Remco Evenepoel, who had hoped for a double win after his success at the 2024 Olympics. He finished fifth.

Van der Poel echoed the sentiment, stating, “When he left, I thought, ‘He’s crazy.'” Primož Roglič added, “He followed his instinct. It’s just incredible.”

Pogačar’s eventful day had begun with a broken alarm clock, requiring his partner, Urska Zigart, to drag him out of bed. Once in the race, he swiftly bridged to a group of escapees, where his compatriot Jan Tratnik awaited him.

“Luckily, he was there. He’s a machine, pulling huge relays,” Pogačar said of Tratnik.

As the race progressed, Pogačar made another decisive move, this time alongside Frenchman Pavel Sivakov, his UAE teammate. Sivakov, struggling to keep pace, managed to support his leader for a lap before cracking on the steep Bergstrasse.

“I tried to follow him, but I got burned out. His level is incredible—I’ve never seen anything like it. He was a steamroller,” Sivakov recalled.

With 51 km remaining, Pogačar set off alone, embarking on his epic solo journey. Behind him, Evenepoel and Van der Poel, alongside a small group including Romain Bardet, mounted a chase but couldn’t close the gap.

Pogačar, never leading by more than a minute, held on to the end through sheer willpower. “I was running on empty. My vision was fading, and I could barely keep pedaling, but I had to push through,” he recounted.

For Pogačar, the rainbow jersey represented a long-sought goal, one that now marks the culmination of a dream season. “In recent years, I focused on victories at the Tour, the Giro, and the Tour of Flanders, without really targeting the World Championships. But this year, I knew I had a great chance given the course. It’s more than a dream come true.”

He will soon don his new jersey at the final Italian classics of the season, including the Tour of Lombardy on October 12, where he aims to secure a fourth consecutive win. This will add to his astonishing record of 23 victories in just 55 race days this year—a phenomenal ratio.

At 26, Pogačar’s resume is already monumental. He boasts four Grand Tours, including three Tour de France wins, 17 individual stage victories, six Monument wins, and now, a world championship title—bringing his career total to 86 victories.

“He’s exceptional, stronger than ever,” Van der Poel said. “And we have the impression that this is just the beginning.” (With inputs from agencies)