How can Pogacar still deliver record-breaking performances? "At the World Championships, he was exhausted for the first time"

Tadej Pogacar's 2024 victory streak is virtually unparalleled. By now, much has bee said and written about it already, but it really seems there will be no end to his dominance. From March to October, the Slovenian has been unstoppable, with no sign of a decline in performance. Belgian top coach Paul Van Den Bosch explains to Het Nieuwsblad how this was possible.

This season, the Slovenian world champion has broken record after record. For example, in the Tour de France on the Plateau de Beille, he shattered Marco Pantani’s old record by being four minutes faster. But even later in the year, Pogacar’s level remained exceptionally high. In the rain-soaked Giro dell'Emilia, he left everyone in his wake. His attack on San Luca, according to Watts2Win, a website that analyzes cycling data, was even better than the one he launched on the same climb during this year’s Tour.

How is it possible that the UAE Team Emirates powerhouse is still so much better than the rest? "Pogacar is still, or rather once again, so good because he has followed the perfect cycle this season of balancing efforts with sufficient recovery and training to be ready for new peak performances," says Paul Van Den Bosch, coach of riders like Thibau Nys.

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"He doesn't have to push as hard to win races"

"Pogacar’s exceptional talent is a major factor, which means he doesn't have to push as hard to win races, shortening his recovery time. During the World Championships road race, I saw him truly exhausted for the first time this season, with dull, sunken eyes as he crossed the finish line. In the Strade Bianche, after his 80-kilometer solo ride, he crossed the finish smiling, while the rest were totally spent. In Catalonia (where Pogacar won four stages and the overall classification, ed.), he achieved all his wins with ease. In the Giro, he didn’t need to push himself to the limit. Most riders need longer to recover after such a Giro, which would cause them to start the Tour with a training deficit. Not Pogacar. Five weeks were enough for him to recover and train sufficiently to be back at the top."

An ultra-precise season plan plays a significant role in the Tour winner's stellar year. To achieve the goal of a rainbow jersey, sacrifices had to be made. "Crucially, Pogacar skipped the Olympics after the Tour, allowing him another seven to eight weeks before his next race. He took a two-week vacation after the Tour and only resumed training when he felt hungry for it again. This mental recovery is also important."

Pogi still at his peak: "Remco made a different decision"

"He then prepared optimally for this final part of the season. Remco made a different decision, the right one, as it earned him two Olympic titles, but it’s logical that his performances aren't as good now. This happens with many riders because they race too much and train too little at the end of the season, leading to mental fatigue as well."

And while other riders are eagerly waiting for the season to end, Pogacar is still at full strength, able to leave his competitors in the dust. "The numbers from the Tour and Emilia remain calculations, but for me, his immense performance in the World Championships road race is solid, real proof that Pogacar shows no signs of decline," Van Den Bosch concludes.

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