Cycling star Pogačar wins men's road race at world championships with brilliant solo attack

ZURICH (AP) — Tadej Pogačar cemented his status as cycling's biggest star with a devastating solo attack to win the men's road race at the world championships on Sunday.

The three-time Tour de France champion surged ahead just over 50 kilometers (31 miles) from the end. The 26-year-old Slovenian appeared to be in tears after crossing the line in Zurich, putting his hand on his mouth, then covering his face with both hands before pumping his arms in the air.

He crossed the line 34 seconds ahead of Australian Ben O'Connor and 58 clear of defending champion Mathieu van der Poel of the Netherlands, who finished third in a sprint to the line ahead of Latvian Toms Skujins and Belgian contender Remco Evenepoel in fifth place.

“I put a lot of pressure on myself for today. The race unfolded pretty quickly," Pogačar said. "I never gave up. It was an incredible day, I cannot believe what just happened.”

Pogačar achieved the rare treble of winning the worlds, the Tour and the Giro d'Italia in the same year. He also won the prestigious Liège–Bastogne–Liège classic and the Strade Bianche, both with similar solo attacks.

“After many years fighting for the Tour de France and other races I never had the world championship as a clear goal, but this year everything went smoothly,” Pogačar said. "After the perfect season it was a really big goal to win the world championship and I can’t believe it happened.”

On Sunday, he had a prestigious teammate on the road: Primož Roglič, the record-equaling four-time Spanish Vuelta champion.

But he didn't need him and it was Pavel Sivakov of France who joined Pogačar as he made a breakaway 100 kilometers (62 miles) out.

“I don’t know what I was thinking,” Pogačar said. "But I went with the flow and luckily I made it.”

The peloton — led by a determined Van der Poel — tried to counter them with about 70 kilometers left.

The front two maintained their lead of around 40 seconds, with Van der Poel now joined by Evenepoel, the 2022 world champion and reigning Olympic champion. But Evenepoel, who won last weekend's time trial, had no teammates with him.

After Pogačar dropped Sivakov, he rolled through the countryside leading to Zurich and the title after finishing third last year.

He completed the 274-kilometer (170-mile) route, which started from Winterthur and had elevation gains of 4,470 meters, in 6 hours, 27 minutes, 30 seconds.

Two-time world champion Julian Alaphilippe of France went out of the race early on. The Soudal Quick-Step rider was caught in a crash and hurt his left shoulder.

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Netherlands' Mathieu van der Poel rides during the Men Elite road race of the Cycling and Para-cycling Road World Championships in Zurich, Switzerland, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024. (Zac Williams/SWpix.com/Pool Photo via AP)

Belgium's Remco Evenepoel attacks during the Men Elite road race of the Cycling and Para-cycling Road World Championships in Zurich, Switzerland, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024. (Zac Williams/SWpix.com/Pool Photo via AP)

Slovenia's Tadej Pogacar reacts before crossing the finish line to win the Men Elite road race of the Cycling and Para-cycling Road World Championships in Zurich, Switzerland, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)

Julian Alaphilippe of France is loaded into the ambulance after a crash during the Men Elite Road Race at the 2024 UCI Road and Para-cycling Road World Championships in Effretikon, Switzerland Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024. (Til Buergy/Keystone via AP)

Slovenia's Tadej Pogacar attacks during the Men Elite road race of the Cycling and Para-cycling Road World Championships in Zurich, Switzerland, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024. (Zac Williams/SWpix.com/Pool Photo via AP)

Slovenia's Tadej Pogacar attacks during the Men Elite road race of the Cycling and Para-cycling Road World Championships in Zurich, Switzerland, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)

Slovenia's Tadej Pogacar attacks during the Men Elite road race of the Cycling and Para-cycling Road World Championships in Zurich, Switzerland, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)

Slovenia's Tadej Pogacar kisses his girlfriend Urska Zigar after winning the Men Elite road race of the Cycling and Para-cycling Road World Championships in Zurich, Switzerland, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024. (Michael Buholzer/Keystone via AP)

Slovenia's Tadej Pogacar crosses the finish line to win the Men Elite road race of the Cycling and Para-cycling Road World Championships in Zurich, Switzerland, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)

Slovenia's Tadej Pogacar crosses the finish line to win the Men Elite road race of the Cycling and Para-cycling Road World Championships in Zurich, Switzerland, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)

ST. MORITZ, Switzerland (AP) — Lindsey Vonn finished 14th position in a super-G on Saturday to mark her return to World Cup skiing at age 40.

Vonn crossed the line 1.18 seconds behind winner Cornelia Huetter.

It was the American standout’s first World Cup race after nearly six years of retirement.

Vonn is planning to race another super-G in St. Moritz on Sunday.

Vonn had to cut her career short in 2019 due to a series of crashes and injuries, but then she had knee replacement surgery in April and had two titanium pieces inserted into her right knee. Her knee feels better than it has in years, so she decided to come back.

Vonn left the tour with 82 World Cup wins — the record for a woman at the time and within reach of the then all-time Alpine mark of 86 held by Swedish standout Ingemar Stenmark. The women’s record held by Vonn was eclipsed in January 2023 by American teammate Mikaela Shiffrin, who now has an outright record 99 wins.

Shiffrin, who shares the record of five wins in St. Moritz with Vonn, isn’t racing this weekend as she recovers from abdominal surgery to clean out a puncture wound she sustained in a crash last month.

Vonn took advantage of a new wild card rule that allows former champions to enter races without the necessary points.

Eight-time overall World Cup champion Marcel Hirscher also took advantage of the wild card rule and returned this season after five years away. But then Hirscher tore his left ACL while training in giant slalom and announced earlier this month that his comeback season was done.

Vonn is attempting to enter unchartered territory in terms of success at an advanced age in women’s skiing.

The oldest woman to win a World Cup race was Federica Brignone, the Italian who won the giant slalom in Soelden, Austria, in October to start this season, at age 34.

The oldest man to win a race was Didier Cuche at 37 in a super-G in Crans Montana, Switzerland, in 2012.

Johan Clarey set the record for the oldest podium finisher with a second-place result in the famed Hahnenkamm downhill in Kitzbuehel, Austria, at age 42 in January 2023.

AP skiing: https://apnews.com/hub/alpine-skiing

United States' Lindsey Vonn celebrates at the finish area of an alpine ski, women's World Cup super G, in St. Moritz, Switzerland, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Giovanni Auletta)

United States' Lindsey Vonn, right, is congratulated by Red Bull Head of Athletes Special Projects Patrick Riml after she competed in an alpine ski, women's World Cup super G, in St. Moritz, Switzerland, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Giovanni Auletta)

United States' Lindsey Vonn celebrates at the finish area of an alpine ski, women's World Cup super G, in St. Moritz, Switzerland, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Giovanni Auletta)

United States' Lindsey Vonn celebrates at the finish area of an alpine ski, women's World Cup super G, in St. Moritz, Switzerland, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Giovanni Auletta)

United States' Lindsey Vonn, right, smiles after completing an alpine ski, women's World Cup super G, in St. Moritz, Switzerland, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (Til Buergy/Keystone via AP)

United States' Lindsey Vonn looks on before competing in an alpine ski, women's World Cup super G, in St. Moritz, Switzerland, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Giovanni Auletta)

United States' Lindsey Vonn looks on before competing in an alpine ski, women's World Cup super G, in St. Moritz, Switzerland, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Giovanni Auletta)

United States' Lindsey Vonn looks on before competing in an alpine ski, women's World Cup super G, in St. Moritz, Switzerland, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Giovanni Auletta)

United States' Lindsey Vonn does a course inspection before competing in an alpine ski, women's World Cup super G, in St. Moritz, Switzerland, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Marco Trovati)

United States' Lindsey Vonn concentrates during the course inspection before competing in an alpine ski, women's World Cup super G, in St. Moritz, Switzerland, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Marco Trovati)

United States' Lindsey Vonn concentrates during the course inspection before competing in an alpine ski, women's World Cup super G, in St. Moritz, Switzerland, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Marco Trovati)