“Cycling was the most important thing in the world for Tadej" - Tadej Pogacar's parents reveal what made him the world's best rider

Cycling Weekly recently spoke with Mirko and Marjeta Pogacar, the proud parents of Tadej Pogacar, widely regarded as the world’s best cyclist. Their anecdotes reveal a fascinating glimpse into the childhood of the Slovenian sensation, from unicycle adventures to an unexpected first encounter with the Tour de France.

“There was a guy in the neighbourhood who had a unicycle, and one time he came to an event with it,” Marjeta recalls. “He showed people how to ride it, and our kids were really interested. They wanted to learn, so we bought them one.” Sibling rivalry soon necessitated a second unicycle, and before long, a 10-year-old Tadej and his older brother, Tilen, were mastering the art of one-wheeled riding in their hometown of Komenda, a small community of just 6,000 people.

“If you gave them a unicycle now, they could still ride it. They were always practising,” Marjeta adds. She fondly remembers their creative transportation choices. “When we’d tell Tadej and Tilen to go fetch some milk, they’d say: ‘It’s too hard to walk. It’s easier to go by bike,’ so they’d go by unicycle,” she laughs.

The Pogacar household was always lively, filled with games and activities. “We were always playing together with our children: sports, cards, board games, dice games, going to Mirko’s parents’ farm to pick potatoes,” Marjeta says. Tadej and Tilen’s childhood hobbies included Pokemon, Lego, and Beyblades, though one thing they avoided was learning French. “I understand why,” Marjeta explains. “It’s because when they were naughty, I’d start speaking to them in French, so when they heard French, they thought, ‘Uh-oh, we’ve done something wrong.’”

As with many siblings, the UAE Team Emirates - XRG leader followed in Tilen’s footsteps when it came to sports. “Tilen started football, so Tadej did too,” Marjeta recalls. “But when Tilen saw that Tadej was doing really well, he left the team to join a basketball team.” Although Tadej stuck with football for a time, Marjeta was relieved when he moved on. “The atmosphere around the ground with the other parents was really unkind, quite aggressive, and I didn’t like it,” she admits.

The shift to cycling proved to be a defining moment for the Pogacar family, though it came with financial challenges. “We were very happy that they both started cycling, but it wasn’t cheap,” Marjeta says. “We were very lucky that the club offered the bikes, shoes, and helmets, otherwise it was too expensive, and we wouldn’t have been able to afford it.”

For young Tadej, cycling quickly became a passion. “Cycling was the most important thing in the world for Tadej,” Marjeta recalls. “He always spent what pocket money he had on sunglasses, socks, or wheels. He’d get €5 or €10 for winning a race when he was 12, and that increased when he got older – before long, he could afford whatever he wanted.”

The Pogacars’ first experience with the Tour de France came by chance during a family holiday in 2011. “We hadn’t meant to see the race – we were trying to get to Lyon!” Marjeta recalls. A costly tunnel into France from Italy led the family to detour through Sestriere, only to find themselves stopped by the Tour.

“As soon as we got there, the road was blocked for the race, and we had the opportunity to see the stage,” Marjeta explains. “It was the best day of our holiday.”