“Do you wait two minutes, or walk away angry?” – Tadej Pogacar questions fan entitlement after tense encounter

For a rider whose popularity now stretches far beyond cycling, moments of quiet are increasingly rare. Sometimes, even basic courtesy becomes negotiable.

That tension was laid bare in a candid Strava post shared this week by Tadej Pogacar, after what he described as an uncomfortable encounter with a fan while he was already in conversation elsewhere. Rather than venting, the world champion framed his frustration as a simple question.

“Honest question to all fans,” Pogacar wrote. “If you find me in conversation with someone and you ask me for photo, I ask you to give me two minutes to finish talk. Do you wait two minutes or show me middle finger and take off angry?”

The post carried disappointment rather than anger. “Long day ended with losing biggest fan,” Pogacar added, before stressing that his appreciation for supporters remains unchanged.

Pogacar’s words touch on a delicate balance elite riders now face. Cycling remains one of the most accessible professional sports, with champions training on open roads and interacting with the public far from controlled environments.

That openness has long been part of its appeal. Increasingly, it is also where friction appears.

The Slovenian did not criticise fans asking for photos, nor did he call for distance. His point was narrower: respect and patience. A request for two minutes should not provoke hostility.

The timing of Pogacar’s post is notable. Earlier this winter, Jonas Vingegaard crashed during a training ride in Spain after being closely followed by an amateur rider on a descent. His team later appealed publicly for fans and amateur cyclists to give riders space during training.

The situations are different, but the underlying issue is shared. As access to riders has increased, so too have moments where admiration edges into entitlement.

In Vingegaard’s case, the consequences were physical. In Pogacar’s, the impact was emotional. Both underline how quickly boundaries can blur.

Despite the frustration evident in his post, Pogacar was careful not to turn the moment into an attack. “I love you all,” he wrote, even acknowledging fans who support his rivals.

That balance matters. This was not a rider lashing out, but one trying to articulate where expectations are quietly shifting in modern cycling.

For Pogacar, whose fame has accelerated alongside his success, such encounters are becoming routine. His question was not rhetorical.

Do you wait two minutes? Or do you walk away angry?

In a sport built on closeness between riders and supporters, his message was a reminder that access works best when it comes with understanding.