“I think that he can still improve a little bit" - UAE trainer warns Tadej Pogacar has not yet hit his peak
Cycling
Tadej Pogacar in 2024, was as good as any cyclist in the history of the sport. The Slovenian took two Grand Tour victories along with 12 stage wins, a pair of Monument titles and the World Championship Rainbow Jersey in Zürich. According to UAE Team Emirates - XRG trainer Javier Sola though, there is still room for improvement for the Slovenian.
“We haven’t made serious changes. Obviously, he has a good background. Basically, we introduced a little bit of strength training in the gym. Also, he has improved his body composition compared with other years,” Sola says of Pogacar's training ahead of the 2025 season, in quotes collected by Velo. “I think that he can still improve a little bit, but I cannot predict how much. I don’t have a crystal ball.”
Talk of Pogacar improving even further is sure to send shivers down the shine of the Slovenian's rivals in the peloton but according to Sola, there is one area in which Pogacar can definitely work on and that is his strength. “I think he can still progress in his strength training. So, we’re focusing on that now by including a little bit more compared with last year,” he explains. “Also, we try to do a little bit more intensity for the classics. We will see if he can manage the load and keep progressing. This is a process. We improve something every year.”
One of Pogacar's biggest targets in 2025, is the elusive Milano-Sanremo. Would success in the Italian monument require specific training? “It’s nothing crazy,” Sola says of his plan. “Probably we did a bit more high intensity in some periods. Also I think the strength training – on and off the bike – has been key for him.”
“The demands of the race of a one-day event like Tour of Flanders are not the same as the Tour de France. So now we only focus on the classics in the beginning, and the Grand Tours after," he adds. “We will focus very specifically on each type of race.”
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- He spent 0 races alongside Roglic, I don't understand what he's talking aboutvappaxbipmv15-01-2025
- I get it. Thanks.roadman5412115-01-2025
- His in form race weight is about 130lbs, he was about 120 last year.awp15-01-2025
- That TT was stage 16 of the '23 tour. He lost muscle mass after the crash last year that lightened him up a bit too much.awp15-01-2025
- That super time trial (I forget where?) he did where he blew everyone away was something special. If he gains weight that surely counts against him? What is the thinking on this then?roadman5412115-01-2025
- Yeah, maybe it’s just a Van de Poulidor thing, family is an important influence early in life and neither was very well rewarded by the Tour no matter how much they gave He’s more Van De than Poulidor and I think his main goal was accomplished, avenging the missing Yellow jersey, a GC win being off the table no matter how many Poulidor genes he inherited. He also knows that despite the incredible TdF résumé and respect his grandad (later*) had he sacrificed 15 years of it for a measly 7 stage wins and no real Tour recognition other than the rather ambiguously discerned title of “eternal second”. So on an emotional level I would understand he’s not losing any love here, if his team and sponsors accept then he must have been able to provide convincing arguments, that we’ll most likely never hear of. * Don’t forget the shit other riders put him through for accepting to be the first to be controlled for doping over which the others went on strike, I’m sure the little MVDP got some lasting negative impressions from some of the first hand accounts he got of how your peers can treat you when you don’t follow the herd.Mistermaumau15-01-2025
- You're right mikolajjj, he is a disgusting person and I'm ashamed that he is Italian. It's not about being a vegetarian, it's about not killing animals for fun. Teenage prank? Really? Good and evil, Pain and Death are understood from the age of 6-7 years old.
maria2024202415-01-2025 - It does, he had some weight management issues, being too lightweight I believe. He will be right there if he comes healthy.awp15-01-2025
- I think you are right. The way he came back from that dreadful accident and still managed to finish second in the tour speaks volumes.roadman5412115-01-2025
- Never count Vingegaard out. He is one hell of great athlete. If he comes healthy it will be game on.awp15-01-2025