Pogacar reflects on his spring after Liège victory; Roubaix duel with Van der Poel remains his proudest moment

After his team's hard work on the Col de la Redoute, Pogacar made it clear with one acceleration who was the best in the race. He eventually crossed the finish line with a comfortable lead over Giulio Ciccone (Lidl-Trek) and EF Education-EasyPost rider Ben Healy. The man from Klanec thus claimed yet another victory of the season after the UAE Tour, Strade Bianche, Tour of Flanders, and Flèche Wallonne.

Tadej, to start with, we saw Domen Novak riding at the front from the start of the TV broadcast. What did he have for breakfast?
"He's our super-domestique, with a lot of endurance. But it wasn't just Domen because the whole team was incredibly strong. Vegard Stake Laengen rode at the front for a long time, and everyone performed as planned in the final. I'm obviously pleased with a team like that around me."

Was it your plan to attack on La Redoute?
"No. I thought we had to try something, and, in the worst-case scenario, I would have to wait for the chasing group, which also included Pavel Sivakov and Brandon McNulty. So it was good to attack, but it wasn't a plan. In cycling, you sometimes have to go with the flow."

Were you aware that Remco Evenepoel wasn't at the front there?
"We were at the front but didn't see Soudal Quick-Step there. I thought he was saving energy at the back, but maybe he wasn't feeling good. It's only his fourth race since his comeback, so you don't know where he stands in terms of confidence. But who am I to talk about that?"

How do you reflect on this spring?
"It was a tough campaign, I'm not going to lie about that. I've had my ups and downs. We were lucky with the spring weather, which made it a bit easier to stay in Belgium for so long. I'm pleased with my spring, and I think we can be proud as a team."

You are making history.
"As I always say, and I often get this question: I'm not here to rewrite history, but simply to enjoy cycling. I can be proud of my achievements and am very grateful for that."

What is your proudest moment this spring?
"The experience in Roubaix was something I could never have imagined, but I managed to do it. And there were lots of other great moments, too."

What are your plans for the coming weeks?
"I've got some free time now, so I can reset when it comes to cycling and start preparing for the summer."

Is this spring a blueprint for the coming years?
"That also depends on the major races you're competing in. If you have to ride the Giro, your spring will logically look a bit different. I don't think I'll do it every year."

Pogacar will normally resume competition in the Critérium du Dauphiné in early June. After that, he will compete in the Tour de France and the Vuelta a Espana.