'Inexplicable' or 'nothing wrong'? Tadej Pogacar's car slip stream at Amstel Gold Race causes debate

Tadej Pogacar does not need help winning bike races. But did he get some on his way to victory at the Amstel Gold Race? Ad The two-time Tour de France winner powered clear with 30km remaining and finished comfortably ahead of Ben Healy (EF Education-EasyPost) and Tom Pidcock (Ineos Grenadiers). Amstel Gold Race‘I was on a sort of flat tyre’ – Pogacar after adding Amstel Gold to bulging palmaresA DAY AGO However, there was a strking moment towards the end of the race when Pogacar appeared to benefit from being in the slip stream of the car of race director Leo van Vliet.

The car went past Pogacar with around 10km remaining and lingered in front of the race leader immediately after overtaking him before moving further ahead. At the time Healy had closed the gap to Pogacar to 20 seconds but he finished 38 seconds behind at the finishing line. Race director Van Vliet clarified the situation in an interview after the race.

«We were driving behind Tadej Pogacar and Ben Healy came closer, so you have to pass» Van Vliet told AD newspaper. «It is not true at all [that the car was in front for a kilometre]. Look at the TV images.

It didn’t help him. I also raced myself. I can’t imagine that [it offered an advantage].

»Why would it do me any good to do that? We were far enough ahead of him. There’s nothing wrong." Pogacar beats Healy, Pidcock to win Amstel Gold Race Third time lucky for Vollering at Amstel Gold Race Van Vliet also pushed back at the idea that Pogacar would have been his preferred winner over Healy. «Let them say that.

I can’t do anything about that,» he said. Asked about the race car afterwards, Pogacar said: “I don't like it, but this happens all the time when they are in the head of the race. They pass, they sink