Tadej Pogacar, a future family man? "If they become cyclists, we'll lovingly follow them in the camper"

"He is one of the best riders in the world, maybe even the best. But at home, he just does the laundry and cooks dinner. He's just a regular guy. He's just Tadej," Zigart says in an interview with Sporza. "This is only one part of his life, and he's very good at it. On the bike, he's a machine, of course. During training, I suffer a lot riding in his wheel, so I know how it is."

On his bike, Pogacar is like a machine, like the Terminator: unstoppable and fearless. But it wasn't always like that. "Last year, he had his doubts. He crashed at high speed, sat dazed on the ground for five minutes. Luckily, it was only his wrist. But he wasn't sure of himself. That's why they did everything this year to ensure he could participate in every race with full confidence, without doubts." The results speak for themselves.

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Despite Pogacar's staggering dominance, his support and confidant still claims that he loses more often than he wins. That comes with its advantages. "When he lost the Tour, when he finished second, he gained a lot of fans. People also resonate with the emotions of losing. That's how a bond is formed. You win fans through both winning and losing," says Zigart.

The Slovenian champion, who rides for Liv AlUla Jayco herself, notes that their shared work environment is a plus in their relationship. "You always need support. We know exactly what the other person needs because we experience the same things." And when they both hang up their bikes, then what? "When our careers are over, I don't think we can just return to normal life because it has never been normal. Maybe we'll start a family, or a small business. Maybe I'll go back to school."

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There's a buzzword: family. That's not something for the near future, Zigart says. That will have to wait until after their careers. Would the Pogacar juniors also end up in the cycling world? "Sports are good. You learn discipline, you travel the world. But we'll let our children decide. If they want to become cyclists, we'll lovingly follow the Tour in the camper," Zigart laughs.

No papa Pogacar for now, it seems. For now, he is just a cyclist, a very special one. But to Zigart, he is more. "He hasn't changed since the day we met. For someone who just rides a bike, he moves a lot of people all over the world. But for me, he doesn't need to do anything to be special."