Pogačar defends Tirreno title for 3rd straight victory

SAN BENEDETTO DEL TRONTO, Italy (AP) — Two-time Tour de France champion Tadej Pogačar has extended his nearly perfect start to the cycling season by defending his title in the weeklong Tirreno-Adriatico race. The Slovenian rider also won the weeklong UAE Tour last month then put on a dominant display on the white, gravel roads of the Strade Bianche single-day race last weekend. He says, “I might seem unbeatable but I’m not.” Pogačar won the two toughest stages of the Tirreno and finished with an advantage of 1 minute, 52 seconds over Jonas Vingegaard and 2:33 ahead of Mikel Landa.