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Marc Hirschi has taken a leaf out of teammate Tadej Pogačar’s book.
The UAE Team Emirates rider is currently on a winning streak his teammate would be proud of. In fact, Hirschi’s run is even better than what Pogačar has achieved this year.
The Swiss rider won the Memorial Marco Pantani Saturday, taking victory in the prestigious Autumn event in a big group sprint.
The result was, remarkably, his fifth win in a row, and his third in a week. It follows victories in the GP Industria & Artigianato last Sunday and in the Gran Premio città di Peccioli Thursday.
“It was a tough race which we controlled from the start,” he said after the 1.1 ranked event.
“Then we opened the race up early with an attack from [teammate Filippo] Baroncini which was a good situation for us. We tried to block a bit behind but unfortunately he came back [was recaptured] in the final 500m and so I sprinted behind, following the right wheels and making the most of the headwind.
“It’s nice to continue this winning streak.”
Hirschi’s stunning run began on August 10 when he outsprinted Julian Alaphilippe (Soudal Quick-Step) to win the Clasica San Sebastián.
A second WorldTour success came 15 days later in the Bretagne Classic – Ouest France, with a one second margin of victory over a group of 52 riders.
His latest trio of results increases that tally to five, and makes him one of the top tips for the upcoming world championships.
That takes place on home soil in Switzerland and Hirschi will be raring to go.
He’ll line out there alongside team captain Pogačar. They will be on national teams and therefore rivals, in theory at least, making for a very interesting race.
Beating the boss
Pogačar has been on his own streak this year, winning a staggering 21 times.
But even with that win rate, he doesn’t match what Hirschi has done.
Pogačar’s longest sequence of victories is four. That was achieved twice, firstly with his two stages and his overall success in the Volta Ciclista a Catalunya plus his triumph in Liège-Bastogne-Liège.
He also took four consecutive wins in July, namely stages 19, 20 and 21 in the Tour de France, as well as the overall victory.
Those are bigger races than those Hirschi has triumphed in, of course, but nobody can argue with a run of five wins.
That’s a seriously impressive sequence.
Hirschi has a chance to add to that tally on Sunday when he contests the Trofeo Matteotti.
Can he do it? He’ll be up against a full field determined to stop him, but he’ll give it his best.
It’s said winning is a habit. He’s certainly proving that correct, for now at least.
“I have luck on my side at the moment,” he said Saturday, “and I hope it can continue.”
Marc Hirschi won today’s Memorial Marco Pantani, his 5th (!!!) victory in a row. I’m here just to tell you that Tadej Pogacar never achieved this feat btw.pic.twitter.com/7b4EKAeBFG
— Mihai Simion (@faustocoppi60) September 14, 2024
