"It was the toughest moment of the year" - Tadej Pogacar describes the injury that had him worry about his Tour de France win
CyclingWednesday, 31 December 2025 at 12:00
Tadej Pogacar has wrapped up another extraordinary 2025 season. The Slovenian from UAE Team Emirates - XRG secured his fourth Tour de France, once again his big target, and didn’t stop there, adding a clutch of Monuments (Liège, Flanders and Lombardia), another World title (his second in a row), plus a raft of additional wins.
In an interview with the Marca, the Slovenian reviewed his remarkable year and discussed the goals still on his radar, without ruling out a return to the Vuelta a España at some point, though hinting it wouldn’t be this year. He wants to complete the set of five Monuments and will go all-in again at Milano-Sanremo and Paris-Roubaix.
- I’ve managed to go beyond my dreams. I’ve set my goals higher than I ever imagined. I’m very happy and very proud of what I’ve achieved.
- I don’t like comparing myself to anyone. I think every rider is unique.
- Time goes by very fast. I try to enjoy every day and keep my motivation, because a racing career doesn’t last as long as it seems.
With a contract until 2030 however, the Slovenian still has several years to keep fighting for the races he doesn't yet have in his palmarès. This year, he will make his debut at the Tour de Romandie and Tour de Suisse, where he should be the undisputed favourite for both.
Preparation and training in Gran Canaria
In November, the World Champion took part in a Gran Fondo in the Canary islands, as did several other pro riders. Asked by the Spanish news outlet, he was content to share his thoughts on his time spent in Gran Canaria.
- I wanted to explore the island and get back to stacking hard training hours. The goal was to rebuild my base and discover new roads. It was a very positive experience, with good training groups. It’s a true paradise for season prep and I think I’ll be back.
- You could easily design three or four very good stages in Gran Canaria. There’s toughness and the conditions to see great racing.
Rest and holidays
Afterwards, besides the social events that he had to attend, the Slovenian looked quite happy at the team's training camp over in Spain, often sharing posts on social media with long training riders with the team often shown. But outside the bike, during the winter, he was also able to mentally recover from a busy 2025.
- Holidays are when I don’t think about the bike. I had some downtime, fun activities, and I’ve recharged the batteries.
- I like enjoying a good dinner, meeting friends and being at the beach. Normal plans that help me switch off.
Tadej Pogacar blew Jonas Vingegaard away at the 2025 Tour de France.
Tour de France and season objectives
The Tour de France is, for 2026, naturally one of his biggest goals, and he faces the possibility of matching the current record of five wins. Doing so would put him in an unique position to beat another record, a very meaningful one.
- The goal is to return to the Tour, try to win again and fight the best riders in the world. It will be one of my main targets.
- The route is very interesting and very hard. Starting in Barcelona will be great, and the rest is similar to other editions, with demanding stages and interesting challenges. I’m really looking forward to it.
Injury and Tour 2025
At the Tour de France this year however, a small knock on the handlebars during the finale of the Mont Ventoux stage saw him suffer a minor knee injury which caused concern for the team. He admits it was his most difficult moment of the year.
- It was the toughest moment of the year. The injury was small, more annoying and worrying than painful. Luckily I managed it and raced the way I wanted. I would’ve loved to win another stage in the Alps, but it wasn’t possible. Even so, I’m happy with how everything went.
- The season was very close to a 10.
Classics and unfinished business in Grand Tours
Of the races missing in his palmarès, there are three that stand out. And he certainly does not want to end his career without conquering them, in order to complete two more sets of key achievements:
- Winning Sanremo, Roubaix and delivering my best at the Vuelta a España is a big challenge in my career. We’ll see what the future has in store for me.
- It’s always hard to combine La Vuelta with the rest of the calendar, but I’ll return one day and I’ll be very motivated when that time comes.
Worlds
- The Worlds is a very special race. I’ve been lucky to win it twice, and in 2026, in Montreal, it will be a major target to try to claim the title again.
Motivation and competitive pressure
For a rider who's been at the very top for several years, and with the same rivals, it could be easy to see how it could stagnate his development. However he does not see it that way, and every year he's been able to improve his performance thus far.
- It’s not harder to get motivated, it’s different. There’s more pressure and expectation. I try to maintain the level and show I can do it again.
- The rivals and teams are very strong. Everyone tries to improve each year, and you always have to fight to grow a bit more.
Rivals and the current landscape
- Evenepoel has the qualities to perform very well at Sanremo or Roubaix. He would be an extra opponent and hard to beat if he’s there.
- Sport is very important in Slovenia. There aren’t many of us in the WorldTour, but those who are there are really good.
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