Cycling-Pogacar leads young guns' charge in pandemic-hit season

FILE PHOTO: Cycling - Tour de France - Stage 21 - Mantes-la-Jolie to Paris Champs-Elysees - France - September 20, 2020. UAE Team Emirates rider Tadej Pogacar of Slovenia celebrates on the podium, after winning the general classification and the overall leader's yellow jersey. REUTERS/Stephane Mahe

PARIS (Reuters) - Cycling managed to deliver an exhilarating, action-packed season that saw the younger generation, led by Tour de France champion Tadej Pogacar, take power despite the season being shortened by the new coronavirus pandemic.

There was a 4-1/2 month hiatus due to restrictions aimed at containing COVID-19 but four of the five 'Monument' classics and 18 of 33 World Tour races plus all three grands tours were held.