"I always race to win" - Tadej Pogacar 'ready to go again' at La Fleche Wallonne after Amstel Gold Race near-miss
Cycling
Tadej Pogacar comes into the 2025 La Fleche Wallonne with a point to prove, off the back of a rare question to his superiority last time out at the Amstel Gold Race. This probably makes the Slovenian more dangerous than ever though and having already won La Fleche Wallonne back in 2023, Pogacar is keen to claim more Ardennes success this afternoon.
Since Pogacar was sensationally beaten by Mattias Skjelmose last Sunday, there have even been questions raised over whether or not the UAE Team Emirates - XRG leader should be resting instead of competing at La Fleche Wallonne. Team boss Mauro Gianetti refuted that idea, but did put forward the idea that Pogacar doesn't need to bounce back with an immediate victory. According to the man himself however, it's always win or bust.
“That’s not how it works in my head. They can say what they want, but I always race to win. I’m in good form, so why not?” Pogacar questions rhetorically in a pre-La Fleche Wallonne interview. “I’ve got a strong team, and I’ve won here before after a few tries. Each edition, I felt better on the Mur de Huy, so experience won’t be an issue. I had two good, quiet days after Amstel to recover, so I feel ready to go again. We’ve approached the classics the right way.”
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Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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parisbound0008-11-2026 - there needs to be space in life for pointless comments!Ketterechts08-11-2026
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