Pogacar was furious about not selecting Zigart for Olympic Games, but he was cut off: "It's my fight!"

In recent years, Slovenia has become a cycling superpower. Tadej Pogacar is the leader of this golden generation, but among the women, it is his fiancée Urska Zigart who stands out head and shoulders above her compatriots. Yet, she has not been selected for the Olympic Games.

Zigart has repeatedly proven her capabilities as a rider. Last week at the Giro Donne, where she served as a domestique for Mavi Garcia, she finished twelfth overall in the general classification. Her exclusion from the Olympic Games selection is therefore surprising. The rider from Liv AlUla Jayco saw it coming, however. "Before the Tour of Switzerland, I received a text message from national coach Gorazd Penko explaining his decision and his reasons. He told me he had already decided last year," she told 24Ur.

The Slovenian believes that the national coach does not appreciate her true value in races. "I don't need to prove myself to anyone. He looks at my results in one-day races, but less so at my role during races. I often serve as a domestique, for example at Liège-Bastogne-Liège, where I finished 32nd. I think he used this as a reason not to select me." Ultimately, Penko selected, among others, Urksa Pintar, who finished second at this year's Slovenian National Cycling Championship - behind Zigart, who crossed the finish line a full eleven minutes earlier.

Continue reading below the photo.

Pogacar fierce: "Best rider not allowed to compete"

Zigart expressed her frustrations on social media. There, she lashed out at the team: "You don’t want to race for a team that doesn’t want you," she ranted. Now, the 27-year-old Slovenian can talk about the situation more calmly. "It wasn’t my intention to create drama. Every sport has its issues, and they often arise around selection processes, especially with the Olympic Games. I will cheer for every Slovenian loudly."

Her fiancé Pogacar was equally displeased with the situation, but Zigart did not want him to speak out about it. "I didn’t want to allow that. He also has a team that manages his social media. When he contacted me wanting to post something, I immediately said no. I emphasized that it was my battle." Nevertheless, Pogacar could not help but express his support. "The national champion and best cyclist of Slovenia is not going to Paris, I am lost for words," said Pogi. "Regardless, the Slovenian colors suit you well, I am always proud of you."

For Zigart, it is now a matter of putting the matter behind her. "I will now have time to clean up the house. After that, I will definitely go to the Tour. I will be at the finish in Nice for sure. It’s still a long way, but Tadej knows that there is still work to be done for him and his team."