Sivakov admits to taking down Van der Poel at the World Championships, in service of Pogacar: "I pushed so hard"

Jack Haig’s Rest Day podcast is back from its offseason, just like the host himself. In the first episode of the year, Bahrain Victorious rider Pavel Sivakov joins as a guest. The two discuss Haig’s performances last season, what it’s like to ride with World Champion Tadej Pogacar, and the hot topic of a possible salary cap in cycling.

Haig begins by sharing some personal updates: "I spent my offseason in Europe. Right now, I’m fully focused on preparing for the new season and have already attended a training camp with my team in Calpe. Right now, I’m back home in Andorra, training before I kick off my season in Valencia at the end of January, with the goal of riding the Tour de France this summer."

The Tour de France will return to a more traditional format in 2025, finishing in Paris. Sivakov welcomes this change: "In last year's Tour, we had to give our all in every stage, so you actually have almost no time to talk to colleagues. Usually, the final stage to Paris offers that opportunity, but last year’s final time trial to Nice forced me to dig deep one last time. I’d rather have the finish on the Champs-Élysées," the Frenchman jokes.

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Sivakov at the 2024 Tour de France

After failed Tour debut, Sivakov wanted another Tour de France

Sivakov is likely to face Haig in the upcoming Tour. "My first Tour de France was terrible, but one of the main reasons I joined UAE was to go to the Tour again," Sivakov shares. "Of course, I have no certainty of riding the Tour, but it makes me extra motivated to give it everything I’ve got. Riding with Pogacar made me stressed at first, but it turned out to be a great experience. Pogacar was incredibly strong during last year’s Tour, and the whole team performed exceptionally well. I really enjoyed that."

Sivakov, who finished ninth in the Vuelta a España and sixth in the final Monument of the year, credits much of his success to the strength of his teammate Pogacar. "Tadej performing so well takes the pressure off the rest of us, which actually helps us ride better. It is good that as a team we also ride smaller races, because then it is easier to win," Sivakov continues. "In the big races, you’re often up against Jonas Vingegaard and Remco Evenepoel, in addition to Pogacar, which often means you can only get podium finishes — unless the team prioritizes wins."

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Sivakov (right) with Pogacar, among others

Sivakov satisfied with good autumn season (alongside Pogacar)

"The Vuelta and the Tour of Lombardy were the highlights of the year for me," Sivakov continued. "Because we performed so well as a team, I was very motivated to keep pushing myself. It was nice to contribute to Pogacar’s win in Lombardy. And at the World Championships in Zurich, I had a really great day in the breakaway alongside him."

In his French jersey, Sivakov rode with Pogacar, who was representing Slovenia. He helped Pogacar maintain his lead and fend off exhaustion in the final stretch. Meanwhile, rivals, including the dangerous Mathieu van der Poel, couldn’t catch up. "When Pogacar and I were at the front, of course we worked together as teammates, but I pushed myself so hard that I eventually burned out," Sivakov admits.

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Tadej Pogacar, the world champion!

Sivakov against salary cap, in favor of transfer period

When reflecting on their early years in the WorldTour, Haig and Sivakov note stark differences from the current generation of young riders. "It’s crazy how professional the young guys are now and how much pressure they put on themselves," Haig says. "When I entered the WorldTour, I was just grateful for the opportunity and didn’t stress myself out."

Sivakov agrees: "New riders today are much more professional than I was at their age. Mentally, it might be harder for them because so much is expected of them right from the start."

The popularity of cycling is clearly on the rise, and there are parties who want to slow that down a bit. With a salary cap, for example. This is something Sivakov opposes. "The sport isn’t big enough for that yet. It’s growing rapidly, and a lot is being invested into it. If you implement a salary cap now, it stops the flow of money. The best riders within the team are paid well, of course, but with a salary cap that could come at the expense of the other riders."

On the other hand, Sivakov is in favor of introducing a transfer window. "It would be good for the sport. Smaller teams could earn more, for example, which would help them grow and allow the sport to continue to expand."

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