Pogacar feels uneasy as the top earner: "I want to share happiness with more people"

As of 2024, we know Tadej Pogacar as the unparalleled glutton of the cycling peloton. In terms of athletic achievements, the Slovenian is the big name this year, having bagged both the Giro and the Tour, along with no fewer than twelve stage wins. Pogacar is the star of the sport and the king at his team, UAE Team Emirates. Yet, even he harbors thoughts that the financial rewards he receives are not entirely normal.

Five weeks ago, at the start of the Tour de France, the Tadej Pogacar Foundation was launched. It’s a platform that raises money for charities, with the superstar serving as its figurehead. With this, the Slovenian aims to give back, as he now personally shares for the first time via the charity’s Instagram page.

Pogacar wants to help people in need: "Sharing happiness with others is important"

“It's no secret that I've made a lot of money from cycling in the last few years," he begins his story. "When I was younger, I never imagined I would be so lucky." Yet, the Slovenian feels somewhat uncomfortable in this situation. He claims that accumulating such sums was never really the goal.

"I honestly don't feel the most comfortable with this money. I know how people who struggle and who need help feel. My family always taught me to share my happiness and to help people in need. These values ​​are close to me. My great desire is to help," said Pogacar. A new project that the Foundation is undertaking is to help people affected by the floods in Slovenia in the summer of 2023.