Luka Mezgec: "Tadej Pogacar is the only rider who doesn't do the sport, he plays it. It's a game for him"
Cycling
There is no shortage of praise coming in from all corners for Tadej Pogacar after the Slovenian sensationally became the first man since 1998 to complete the Giro d'Italia - Tour de France double. One of those who knows the UAE Team Emirates leader very well, is compatriot Luka Mezgec.
In fact, Mezgec himself was one of the inspirations for Pogacar as the then Giant - Shimano rider took a stage win at the 2014 Giro d'Italia, with a young Pogacar in the crowd to watch. "That was a big story in the media," Mezgec recalls in conversation with Wielerrevue. "Tadej was there when I won, because he came to watch with the Slovenian national youth team."
Having become close with Pogacar since the now four time Grand Tour winner's emergence in the professional peloton, Mezgec has seen his compatriot to develop into one of the greatest of all time. "After the first successes he achieved as a neo-pro, I told him to enjoy it because it wouldn't always be like this. But Tadej never stopped winning and enjoying it, haha," Mezgec laughs.
"Primoz Roglic and he are both relaxed, but Tadej is more of a playboy. He is the only person in cycling who doesn't do the sport, but he plays it. It's a game for him," continues the 36-year-old, who still rides in the peloton for Team Jayco AlUla. "Another difference is that Primoz doesn't show his private as much, while Tadej is exactly the same in race as outside."
Whilst for some, Pogacar's relentlessly attacking style and desire to win as much as possible has been described as greediness, the UAE Team Emirates leader's 12 Grand Tour stage wins this year have also seen many draw comparisons between Pogacar and some of cycling's most iconic figures such as Eddy Merckx and Bernard Hinault.
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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Tadej, the record breaker 🤯 After wearing the pink jersey for 20 stages at the Giro and 19 at the Tour, Pogačar broke the record for the most Grand Tour leader jerseys in a single season 😱 📸 Getty Images
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