"Last year Tadej was dissatisfied with the coach" - Analyst tells how Pogacar's improvement must've been due to change in coach

Tadej Pogacar had been trained by Inigo San Milan over the early years of his career and this only changed at the end of last season. The Slovenian is now coached by Javier Sola who successfully helped Adam Yates reach his best ever level, and Pogacar himself has seemed to develop significantly during the 2024 season. This has peaked now during the Tour de France as he is close to becoming the first rider since Marco Pantani to win the Giro-Tour double.

"Well, I myself pointed out the Pyrenees all the time, in fact the main difference was made there. We saw two wonderful victories by Tadej Pogacar in these two difficult Pyrenean stages, now the Alps are just the icing on the cake," Slovenija TV commentator Martin Hvastija said. The Slovenians look like they are having a Tour de France winner once again, for the third time since 2020. A small nation that with Pogacar and Primoz Roglic has won 7 out of the most recent 14 Grand Tours (literally half) that have taken place. They will likely now win their eighth. 

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Pogacar has taken a noticeable leap since 2023, mostly having worked on what used to be his flaws in the heat, high altitude and days with multiple long climbs that are paced hard from start to finish. In 2022 and 2023 Jonas Vingegaard won the Tour, and on both editions he managed to take advantage of those weaknesses to make race-deciding differences.

"I don't know the details, but the fact is that last year Tadej was dissatisfied with the coach. We talked about it very openly at the World Championship in Glasgow and he was looking for changes," Hvastija says. "After certain years of the same or similar training, every cyclist is looking for a new coach, a new will and a new approach. Above all, what you believe in something you believe in, that's definitely a good thing."

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Hence, despite the risky tactics and constant attacking, this isn't something that ultimately damages the Slovenian when comparing to his rivals since he is at the time being just superior whilst riding uphill.

"It's hard to hold him back, which is repeated by all his sports directors, they already had the same debates and the same problems at the Giro," he jokes. "But in the end, he does what he sees, feels, notices at that moment or he thinks he's capable and let him stay that way."

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The Slovenian commentator however is not unaware of the rise of Remco Evenepoel as well, who has been having a brilliant Tour and really showing his best-ever climbing level which will create higher ambitions for the future. "I think we have already seen the beginnings of this in the previous stages. It is true that in the end it will be decided by the legs and not by friendship. The fact is that they avoided each other in the races for many years, he avoided Remco more."

"The fact is that he appreciates him as a teacher, that he addresses him with respect, and Tadej returns this mutual respect. Remco has really made great strides, not only in the physical sense, but also in the technical sense , but he wasn't as far behind on the macadams as some expected, but he's really outstanding on the climbs. There are still three difficult alpine stages to go, but he's making huge steps forward. The fight for the second step is not over yet".

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