
Tadej Pogacar sprinted to an impressive fourth stage victory of the week and sealed his 2024 Tour of Catalonia triumph Sunday.
The Slovenian two-time Tour de France champion edged a chaotic sprint to take Stage 7, adding to his Stage 2, 3 and 6 triumphs, blowing away his general classification competition.
Pogacar emerged ahead of French duo Dorian Godon and Guillaume Martin, second and third respectively, in a frenzied finish to the 143.5-kilometer stage, which started and finished in Barcelona.
"I'm so happy to take the win -- it wasn't the original plan," Pogacar said.
Pogacar's UAE teammate, Joao Almeida, had a move shut down in the final kilometers, but Pogacar snatched victory.
"Joao Almeida set a good pace on the climb and we were a small group in the front," Pogacar added. "He made a good attack on the last small climb and almost came to the finish. I wish he could arrive, but I'm happy to take this win, too."
The UAE Team Emirates rider won the race by 3 minutes, 41 seconds from Spaniard Mikel Landa, with Egan Bernal third, a full 5 minutes and 3 seconds behind Pogacar.
The 25-year-old carved out a big lead on the second stage, and nobody threatened to depose him for the rest of the week.
Pogacar is aiming for an ambitious Giro-Tour double in 2024, hoping to become the first man to win both since Marco Pantani in 1998.