"Everyone was furious that Tadej Pogacar took the victory" - But scars of Primoz Roglic's Tour de France near-miss no longer diminish Slovenia's love for Pogacar

With the world champion recently speaking of retirement, eyes have been drawn to the potential stars of the post-Pogacar era of Slovenian cycling. With this though, being a promising young rider comes brings its own unique burden — the expectation of becoming the next Tadej Pogacar. But 20-year-old Zak Erzen, one of the brightest emerging talents from the region, is pushing back against that narrative.

In an interview with Wieler Revue, Erzen — currently riding for Bahrain - Victorious — offered a refreshingly grounded take on the comparisons that inevitably arise when a young Slovenian makes a mark in the peloton.

“As soon as a young rider wins something, people start calling him the next Pogacar. But among the riders, we know how absurd that is,” Erzen said. “It’s just not realistic — not for us, and not for anyone else either. A rider like Pogacar only comes around once in a hundred years. If you know anything about cycling, you know that the most important thing is to focus on yourself.”

That realism is rare in a sport often obsessed with creating the next prodigy. Since Pogacar's meteoric rise — highlighted by dour Tour de France wins in 2020, 2021, 2024 and 2025 — Slovenia has been viewed as a conveyor belt of elite cycling talent. But with expectation comes pressure, and Erzen seems keenly aware of the dangers of being caught in someone else’s slipstream.

Erzen also reflected on how public perception of Pogacar has shifted dramatically over the years — even within Slovenia. His breakout victory over compatriot Primoz Roglic in the dramatic finale of the 2020 Tour de France was, at the time, met with mixed emotions in his home country. “I still remember watching the 2020 Tour and hoping Roglic would win,” Erzen admitted. “I think I can speak for the whole of Slovenia — everyone was furious that Pogacar took the victory.”

The statement may raise eyebrows internationally, but within Slovenia, it was an emotional moment: Roglic was already a national hero, and his collapse in the time trial on La Planche des Belles Filles felt like a heartbreak for many. But sentiment soon turned. “Two years later, everyone had grown to love him,” Erzen said. “And now he’s probably the greatest Slovenian sportsman of all time. Yes, I’d even say he’s bigger than NBA star Luka Dončić.”

That evolution says as much about Pogacar’s ongoing brilliance as it does about the expectations placed on athletes in Slovenia’s tight-knit sporting community.

While he’s quick to distance himself from any direct comparison, Erzen is undeniably part of the new wave of Slovenian talent making its way through the pro ranks. Alongside riders like Gal Glivar and Jakob Omrzel, he represents the next generation hoping to write their own chapters in the country’s golden age of cycling.

And they're doing so with the support of those who’ve come before. Pogacar, for example, is already investing in the future through his Pogi Team youth development projects, helping ensure that financial barriers don’t block access to the sport’s highest levels. “It’s brilliant to see these Slovenian cycling icons playing such an active role in the future of the sport,” Erzen said. “They’re contributing through foundations and funding, giving talented young riders — even those without access to proper facilities — a real chance to prove themselves.”

For Erzen, though, the goal isn’t to become the next Pogacar — it’s to become the first Zak Erzen. “Every five years or so, a really strong generation comes through in Slovenia,” he explained. “Hopefully I’ll be part of the next one. But the only thing you can do is focus on your own path.”