"How can I make this about me" - Zonneveld pokes fun at Pogacar's Europeans homecoming and highlights how Evenepoel has winner's mentality
Cycling
Tadej Pogacar may not have been pinning a number at the 2026 European Championships elite men's road race, but the former world champion was part of the show in Slovenia as he made his homecoming.
With the race passing through his hometown, the UAE Team Emirates - XRG rider had pushed hard to make an early return from injury for the race long on his radar. With the championships coming too early for his recovery from collarbone surgery, Pogacar instead had to watch the race as a fan.
However, live pictured showed him waving to fans from an organisation car as fans caught a glimpse of the five-time Tour winner as he got to take in the race from a different angle. Analyst Thijs Zonneveld acknowledged the good news that he made the trip but couldn't resist poking fun at his attention-grabbing appearance.
"On the one hand, it was nice that he was there, on the other hand, I thought: how can I make this about me - vibes," Zonneveld said on the podcast In de Waaier.
"I think he was asked by the organisation. The red carpet to the European title was rolled out for him."
Tadej Pogacar speaks to media at the race
Zonneveld on Ciccone's tactics
Analysising the race, the Dutchman thought that Giulio Ciccone could have helped his chances better by contributing less with Remco Evenepoel as the pair spent the final lap together, likening it to Kasia Niewiadoma assisting Demi Vollering before a World Championships sprint, favouring the Dutch rider.
Evenepoel got the better of the Italian in the sprint, although Ciccone contests the photo finish itself, Zonneveld would have liked to see him become European champion.
"Why bother taking over? Just stay behind. This was a bit like how Niewiadoma does it too. Ciccone doesn't throw his bike forward well. Evenepoel does that much better.
"We would have liked it if he had become European champion. It is also fun when he doesn't win; he almost smashes his handlebars in half."
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Remco has winner's mentality
The new European champion, Zonneveld noticed how Evenepoel bounced back from Montreal disappointment to bounce back emphatically in Slovenia.
"Evenepoel is slightly heavier than in the Tour. During the GP Montreal and the World Championships, he fell short on the climbs.
"He said he was down after the World Championships; I think it's great that he actually says that. And then to come back like that a week later. It really is quite remarkable what he is capable of mentally. That true winner's mentality. That striking back is just another layer on top of it."
Gavin QuinnCycling Journalist
Gavin Quinn is a cycling journalist and ultra-distance cyclist with a BA in Journalism from Dublin City University. Formerly the Press & Communications Officer for Cycling Ireland, Gavin has worked inside the national team at the World Championships and has reported for the Irish Mirror, Mirror UK, and The42.
His expertise is backed by elite-level access, having interviewed stars like Sam Bennett and Ben Healy, as well as immense personal endurance. In 2025, he completed a 12,000km solo cycle from Ireland to Vietnam, following a 4,600km tour across Europe. From the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix to the gradients of the Tourmalet, Gavin’s writing focuses on the "romance and brutality" of the sport. Having visited 50+ countries, he brings a global, cultural perspective to his coverage of the pro peloton for CyclingUpToDate.
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- ❤️Lozza15-11-2026
- The greatest ever is a crazy claim. But in discussions about sport in our local media, among people with no particular interest in cycling, he has been the first person they've thought of when giving examples of exceptional athletes.Hills3315-11-2026
- Urska may be less keen on a cafe if keeping it afloat will fall to her, so maybe just a nice dream!Hills3315-11-2026
- Raise thine hand if the money you have made for retirement slips away on poor investments.Most of us will outlive our financial comforts because we don't have the financial acumen to ensure a comfortable lifelong retirement and that is a statistical fact not my opinion.Many millionaires have pissed their money away or had it taken away by so called conniving "financial advisors".The world of wealth is a dangerous place that most of us will never experience nor appreciate.
Brucegel15-11-2026 - You are interested in Pogi for one reason only, you feel like you are somehow related because you share some vague geographical identity. Other than that you have very little interest in cycling as all your posts show, if it can’t be connected to Pogi you have nothing to post. That said, recent activity here shows we are attracting quite a crowd from his region.Jumpyjohn15-11-2026
- From knowing past cycling stars with shops I can only say, think it through. Not only is it mundane after a while but it really doesn’t take you out of the limelight, in the end you’ll be trying to stay away from the place yourself whilst all your fans keep coming for you.Jumpyjohn15-11-2026
- Careful investment? I think he can live very comfortably with zero investments, what does he need more? The world would do well if more people set a target for how much they need or would make them “happy” and then stop worrying about perpetually having to make more.Jumpyjohn15-11-2026
- Yes, Roglic could theoretically have beaten Sepp. Jonas must have had complete confidence that he could come back and win the Vuelta another year. Visma had not allowed Roglic to ride the Tour that year, so his future did not look so bright, despite his narrow Giro win..Hills3315-11-2026
- So far, a good series about riders before my time, even if the text feels AI generated like so much on this site. About the rider, he seems like one of many who are active fan favorites but don’t survive in the stories of cycling, a few decades later - I didn’t really know anything about him and this was a good read, thank you!RidesHills15-11-2026
- A calm, honest documentary, a bit of hagiography but mostly not too much. When he talks about a coffee shop, it aligns with several things in his world - he might want calm, but he does (more than a little bit) have someone near him (his fiancee) who makes sure that things happen the way he expects. Many atheletes have retired only to find out just how much others were taking care of their lives for them. If they work out (I'm old, things happen), I am sure it will take a renegotiation, which is a good thing. I truly enjoyed watching it, seeing him, seeing her, seeing the whole system built around him.RidesHills15-11-2026
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