"I get paid to win" - Tadej Pogacar silences criticism for perceived greediness at 2024 Tour de France
Cycling
Our colleagues from Ciclismoaldia were fortunate to hear first-hand before the start of the penultimate stage of the 2024 Tour de France, from the Maillot Jaune himself, Tadej Pogacar.
One of the topics mentioned, was the criticism of the Slovenian for his perceived greediness. Recently, some have criticized Pogacar for his seemingly unyielding thirst for victory, day after day. Before the start of stage 20, he had to explain why he tries to win whenever he can.
"It's not a party ride, it's the Tour de France, everyone comes here for that, to win stages. I've said it before, it's a luxury that I'm so good that I can win stages and wear yellow. I get paid to win, I work hard to win, the team works hard to win. When sprinters win 4 or 5 stages in the Tour nobody says anything to them, they want more and more, it's just the Tour de France," Pogacar says clearly.
The Slovenian has been the protagonist of numerous statements by different figures in the world of cycling. One of those who has pointed out his attitude has been Lance Armstrong, assuring that he is "making the biggest mistake of his career".
Others have come to the defense of the yellow jersey. For example, Thomas De Gendt on X posted the following comment, "Why do people say it's greedy when a climber takes 4 wins but not when a sprinter takes 4 wins."
Toms Skujins also seconded the sprinters' idea to come out and defend the figure and honor of Tadej Pogacar: "Imagine a sprinter not racing a sprint stage just to let someone else win."
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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Why do people say it’s greedy when a climber takes 4 wins but not when a sprinter takes 4 wins.
Imagine a sprinter not contesting a sprint stage just to let someone else win.
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