The Tour de France is set to make history by incorporating its first-ever time trial into this year's race finale after a 35-year hiatus. In 1989, the event concluded with an unforgettable cliffhanger on the Champs-Élysées, where Greg LeMond emerged victorious over Laurent Fignon by a mere eight seconds, marking the closest margin of triumph in Tour history.
Subsequent years saw race organizers hesitant to replicate this stage due to its exceptional impact and subsequent races maintaining traditional formats culminating on the Champs-Élysées. This year's break from tradition was fueled by a desire to avoid scheduling conflicts with Paris during the Olympic period, offering an opportunity for change despite little anticipation of another replay of 1989.
Tadej Pogacar, who dominated the mountainous stage through southern France on Friday and is poised to secure his third Tour win in as many years, may have less chance for a dramatic upset similar to his 2020 victory against expectations. With Monaco-Nice's relatively short 33.7km stretch between the finishes of Sunday's time trial, it is expected that Pogacar will be celebrated as a coronation rather than experiencing another surprising twist in fate.
Looking at the bigger picture, this year's race signifies an important milestone for Pogacar and sets him on course to potentially achieve double victories with his first Tour de France win, alongside Giro d’Italia triumph from 2020 – a rare feat accomplished by only seven other cyclists in history. However, the challenge has become increasingly demanding as cycling events spread more evenly across the year since 1995 and focuses heavily on the Tour de France's significance to riders who have their sights set primarily on winning this prestigious race.
Pogacar's decision to compete in both races was influenced by his previous success in the Tour, giving him confidence to take risks, while other competitors often opt for one Grand Tour over another due to the immense importance of the Tour de France and concerns about their chances at winning a second race during that season.
The events leading up to this year's Tour have presented unexpected challenges as Pogacar emerges from potential adversity caused by crashes involving Vingegaard and Evenepoel on stage four in the Tour of the Basque Country, affecting their preparation for the race ahead. Nevertheless, if Pogacar can maintain his unprecedented form, he could potentially become one of only eight riders to achieve a triumvirate of Grand Tours – Giro d'Italia, Tour de France, and world road race championship titles in men's racing, with Annemiek van Vleuten being the sole female cyclist who accomplished this feat in 2022.
The upcoming World Championships on September 30 will be held in Zurich and feature a challenging course that is well-suited to Pogacar's style of riding, although he may face considerable competition as the most favored participant in this event. Despite potential hindrances along the way, his remarkable performances throughout recent years show no signs of faltering.
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