Here comes Team Pogacar: On the Tour route, already wanting to train, Roubaix, and a response to critics
Cycling
He was laughing on the beach, but Tadej Pogacar's reaction to the Tour de France route is in! The Slovenian rider from UAE Team Emirates briefly shared his thoughts with L'Equipe, alongside UAE team directors Andrej Hauptmann and Mauro Gianetti, and his agent Alex Carrera.
To say that Pogacar had "an extraordinary season" is an understatement. The Giro, the Tour and the World Championships all in one year — unprecedented. However, UAE Team Emirates isn’t concerned about Pogacar possibly feeling less motivated in 2025. "I’m eager to see what I can achieve next year," says Pogi. "I make progress every year, and the team does too, so I’m optimistic for 2025, with even higher ambitions. I’m super motivated. The first week of the Tour is tricky, but I’m especially looking forward to the climb time trial to Peyragudes. I’ve never done that on a time trial bike before. I also love Mont Ventoux, and the queen stage to Col de la Loze will be brutal."
That will surely interest his rivals... Carrera confirms that he often has to rein in his client’s enthusiasm. "That’s the big difference between champions and everyone else. They have no trouble recharging themselves. As soon as one goal is reached, they’re already thinking about the next and the future. He’s on vacation now, but if it were up to Tadej, he’d already be training. It’s possible he’ll race new events in 2025, like the Tour of Romandie or the Tour of Switzerland."
Read more below the photo.
Pogacar is also considering the Giro and Paris-Roubaix
And Paris-Roubaix? "A race he loves. I don’t know when, but Tadej will participate at some point," says Carrera, who, speaking with Cyclism'Actu, denies that the 2025 Tour de France route is any less suited to Pogacar’s strengths. "Every route is good for him," laughs the agent. "He’s strong on climbs, strong in time trials, and he’s won the Tour three times. It will certainly be the main goal next season. Making cycling boring? I think people love him, and he makes for great spectacle. You never know when he’ll attack."
Carrera emphasizes that the exact program for 2025 is not yet set. It will be finalized in December once the courses for the major races are known. Gianetti, speaking with Tutto Bici, does not rule out the Giro d'Italia as a possibility again. "Our goal is to keep winning with Tadej and all our riders. He enjoyed racing the Giro, so we can’t rule out him doing two grand tours again next year."
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Latest Comments
- Well explained, thanks for the clarity! Daniel DantasDanieldantas20-12-2024
- This is the kind of 'news' that belongs in a cheap tabloid. No matter how boring the offseason gets, nobody wants to read this.
santiagobenites19-12-2024 - I wish we could have seen him try. He'd absolutely get dropped before Pogi overtakes his domestiquesVeganpotter10-12-2024
- Talk is cheap! Next year barring crashes with a healthy team... all well be on track! Some need to talk to make a headline!mootman27-11-2024
- I do not see this event listed on HBO Max Sports Online? Can anyone confirm? Thanks!
MrYuck23-11-2024 - It seemed that he was focusing forward at the time of the crash, after seeing a quick video snippet. But one thing I think he should focus on more intently is breaking a bad habit he has, right now. And that is his constant looking over his shoulders. He does that so much, that I am very sure it is not good for him. Simply watch videos of the greats of CX and you will see very little of that constant looking over their shoulders. That is a behavior that betrays a bit of insecurity on his part. He shouldn't be so concerned, incessantly, about what is over his shoulder. He needn't worry they didn't all disappear. He neds to keep his focus more ahead of himself, and he needs to pay a bit more attention to himself, in a confident manner. It is very frustrating to watch, because it is apparent that he has a lot of potential, and is in much better shape thwan many of his competitors, but the mental game needs to be sharpened more, because that part of strategy plays a huge part in the final results
reemmo022-11-2024 - hahahaha love this shit! I didnt even watched the race, but reading all the gossip articles of how stupid this is!Zatoichi19-11-2024
- Van Aert is really handsome. He can influence me all day! Ditto for Philipsen. Why do you think many of us love cycling?: to see heroic attempts at climbing mountains at high altitudes or to watch speedsters sprint for the finish line or to watch a human being ride at break neck speed down a tricky descent? No, it's all about their lean physiques and muscular legs. (apologies for objectifying these dedicated and amazing athletes).BarwonHeadsUp25-10-2024
- It is unfortunate that the author can't feel the joy that Pogacar brings to the sport and his fans who are legion and I for one feel lucky to have watched such a memorable performance and historic season From the Strada until yesterday with multiple wins in stages in both tours and beyond dominance in the World's. He is proud to wear the Rainbow stripes, shows his leadership to protect his fellows and is as courteous and sportsman-like as the sport allows. He goes early to not have to respond to each attack as all the rest would make him do it. Any racer who could would do the same. Don't "grow tired" of greatness as it is always fleeting.ccrider13-10-2024
- What load of rubbish. Pog is likely a once in a generation cyclist, the like of which hasn't been seen since 'the Cannibal '. How many people were complaining that Merckx was making racing predictable? I remember this year's World RR as one of the most exciting I've watched. Mainly BECAUSE Pog was the favourite and launched what everyone thought (Pog included) was a suicidal attack with 80km to go. For the next 2 hours, I was on the edge of my seat thinking "this is too much, even for Pog". Maybe Zonnefeld prefers the snooze-fest that is a bunch sprint? Like most people I know, I can't watch two hours of the bunch riding very fast... I wait for the final 5km and watch just the sprint. In any event, most races are won from a sprint or lone break. What difference does it make who makes the lone break? Ultimately, the other contenders will have to figure out a way to beat Pog. Even if that means collaboration between teams. It's going to be an exciting few seasons, until the next Pog arrives on the scene. If this is boring, heaven knows what exciting looks like!Michael513-10-2024