Come on, let’s be trustworthy: Tadej Pogačar can’t actually get any higher. Like, significantly, how can he probably be a greater bike owner? Assault firstly of races versus 100km or 80km to go? Win Grand Excursions by half-hour as a substitute of 10, and Monuments by quarter-hour versus three?
The Slovenian is on the highway to finishing biking, three Excursions de France, one Giro d’Italia, and 7 Monuments already saved away within the again pockets of his rainbow jersey. And one way or the other, in a declaration that certainly has the whole peloton mouthing expletives, the 26-year-old nonetheless believes he can get higher.
“I imply, I could make enhancements for positive and my expertise continues to be rising,” the UAE Staff Emirates rider mentioned at his staff’s annual media day in Benidorm, Spain, held on the Terra Mitica theme park (Pogačar didn’t journey any of the rollercoasters, sadly).
“I nonetheless don’t think about myself as an outdated man or older rider, I’m nonetheless fairly younger, so perhaps there’s some room for growth. We’ll wait and see within the winter if I can enhance some extra. For now it appears to be like good, however we’ll see within the first races if I might be higher. Even when it’s slightly bit worse than this 12 months it might probably nonetheless be OK.”
Athletes are insatiable: whereas everybody else lauds their achievements and will get into pointless and unwinnable debates with their pals over which win or rider was higher, they plan the long run. They’re at all times trying forward, hardly ever again.
“Folks, us people, we’re enhancing ourselves till the very finish, and I feel in sport it’s the identical,” the world champion mentioned. “We attempt to enhance till the top of our careers, and if you can’t enhance a lot extra it’s time to complete your profession.
“All the small print on the bike, off the bike, coaching, diet, sleeping, you may at all times make it higher, make it 100% good. I attempt to try for perfection, yearly [I want to] make one step extra. It’s having a ritual day by day. You may deal with what you need to do with none disturbances. That’s the most effective factor to enhance.”
The newest race content material, interviews, options, critiques and professional shopping for guides, direct to your inbox!
(Picture credit score: Getty Photos)
His 2024, he gleefully acknowledges, was “distinctive”, a “good season”, a “nice 12 months”. It’s good to listen to that he “had a good time.” It is best to hope in order nicely, 25 wins in 57 race days being his ultimate rely.
How can 2025 be completely different? Fast reply: the cobbles are again. He gained the Tour of Flanders in 2023, however didn’t defend his title as a consequence of his participation on the Giro d’Italia in Could. However subsequent spring he’ll be there, crushing the pavé, driving previous the Belgians with their frites and their beer and their massive rampant lion flags.
“This 12 months was a bit completely different however I need to return to the cobbles no less than a couple of extra instances in my profession. It doesn’t matter if I’ve the world championship stripes or not, I identical to to be there,” he mentioned, additionally confirming that he’ll race E3 Harelbeke and Gent-Wevelgem.
The Giro, too, may additionally be again on his calendar, however that is determined by the Vuelta a España’s parcours; the Spanish Grand Tour releases its parcours on December 19. “I did the Giro-Tour, and it’d be good to do the Tour-Vuelta, or the Giro-Vuelta,” he mentioned.
For now he nonetheless doesn’t know, the hypothesis will proceed, however he will certainly do two three-week races, both the Giro or Vuelta becoming a member of the Tour on his calendar. “The Tour is crucial one, the most important race. We discovered this 12 months two Grand Excursions are very nice when you have good condition,” he mentioned.
Just some weeks in the past, he signed a brand new contract reportedly price €8m a 12 months – roughly €22,000 a day. It ties him down at UAE till the top of the 2030 season, by which period he’ll most likely have gained each WorldTour race there’s to win and perhaps even have eclipsed Eddy Merckx as the best rider of all time.
“While you signal an extended contract, you’re extra calm on this approach,” he mentioned. “You deal with biking, on being good, you don’t fear about when the time is coming to signal a brand new contract. For positive this is a bonus,” he defined.
“Additionally, I really feel very at dwelling on this staff. I do know all people very nicely, I’ve some nice friendships right here, and for me it’s actually good to be right here for a very long time.”
(Picture credit score: Getty Photos)
Large objectives nonetheless stay: a much-talked about Paris-Roubaix debut, after all, though it’s unlikely for a couple of years; and Milan-Sanremo, the Monument he has joked will ship him to his grave. “It’s nearly probably the most unpredictable race on the calendar, one of many races I need to enhance myself in repeatedly,” he mentioned of the Italian basic. “I’m getting nearer to first place, however slowly.”
What about driving all three Grand Excursions in a single 12 months, a prospect that opened itself up after he claimed the Giro-Tour double in the summertime? “I might like to attempt it, nevertheless it’s not a precedence,” he mentioned, hinting at a doable try in future years.
Wherever Pogačar goes today, he’s requested for selfies, autographs, and bidons. He’s a famous person that’s transcending the game – maybe he’s even greater than the game, such is his stranglehold on it – however in the intervening time he’s not but the GOAT. However Merckx has mentioned he’s closing in. “It’s flattering,” he mentioned of the Belgian’s feedback. “I really feel proud he says these phrases.”
Carry on enhancing, as he’s so assured he’ll, and there’ll not even be a debate.