“My potential was always there – we’re finally managing to get the best out of me”: Urska Zigart on a breakthrough 2025 season stepping out of Tadej Pogacar’s shadow
Cycling
For years, Urska Zigart has been known to the wider public as the partner of cycling’s modern-day phenomenon, Tadej Pogacar. But in 2025, the 28-year-old Slovenian made sure the conversation changed — and that her own results began to speak just as loudly.
After several years of steady progress, Zigart’s first season with AG Insurance - Soudal proved transformative. A series of podium finishes, a stunning ride at the Tour de Romandie Feminin, and a near top-10 at the European Championships in Ronse cemented her arrival as a genuine GC contender, no longer simply a support rider or “the other half” of a Grand Tour superstar.
“The potential was always there,” Zigart told Bici.Pro. “In terms of training or numbers, not much has changed — I’ve always been very professional in my approach. But what’s changed is how I see racing now, and how my team sees me. Together, we’ve finally managed to get the best out of me.”
Finding her rhythm and rediscovering joy
Zigart’s campaign didn’t start smoothly. Illness in the spring delayed her momentum, but once she returned to racing in May she found, as she puts it, “the right wave” — and kept riding it all the way to season’s end. From June onwards, she collected 13 top-ten finishes and, more importantly, rediscovered the pleasure of racing. “I started to really enjoy it again,” she said. “That counts more than anything else.”
Her second place overall at the Tour de Romandie Feminin, where she wore the leader’s jersey and only lost the title by seven seconds to home favourite Elise Chabbey, marked the biggest result of her career to date. The way she controlled the race — calm, precise, and composed — revealed a new level of maturity in both confidence and execution.
Zigart in action in Kigali
A new environment, a new belief
Zigart’s move from Liv AlUla Jayco to AG Insurance - Soudal has proven pivotal. After years of being regarded as a talented but inconsistent climber, she now enjoys the full trust of her management and teammates.
“Sometimes you just need a change,” she explained. “After a while with the same team you can get stuck in a loop about who you are and what you can do. Here, I found a new approach to both my weaknesses and strengths. Thanks to the trust and encouragement of everyone in the team, I’ve been able to take a real step forward.”
That belief has translated into results — and into a clear identity. Zigart no longer defines herself as an opportunist for breakaways but as a rider capable of building and defending GC ambitions across a week. “Stage races suit me best,” she added. “One of my strengths is recovering well from day to day.”
National pride and a growing Slovenian wave
Away from her trade team, Zigart admits she was disappointed to miss out on selection for the Paris 2024 Olympics, but remains deeply proud of representing Slovenia whenever possible. She also believes her nation’s recent success — from Pogacar to Primoz Roglic and Matej Mohoric — has inspired a new generation of cyclists, even if the gender gap persists.
“There are definitely more women riding now,” she said, “but there’s still a big difference between the boys who dream of becoming cyclists and the girls who see it as something they want to do professionally. There are some young talents emerging, though, and I can’t wait to see them grow.”
Zigart and Pogacar are one of cycling's power couples
Balancing two elite careers
Zigart and Pogacar’s shared profession inevitably invites curiosity. She insists it’s more help than hindrance.
“It has its pros and cons, but it works for us,” she reflected. “We both understand what the other is going through — in the good moments and in the hard ones. The toughest times are when we’re racing on opposite sides of the world, but when we’re home together, we can do everything side by side.”
With confidence, consistency and composure all finally aligned, Zigart approaches 2026 with momentum. “Women’s cycling keeps taking big steps forward every year,” she said. “I just want to keep pace with that and keep improving. I’ve had a taste of what’s possible — now I want more.”
For once, the spotlight isn’t borrowed from anyone else. Urska Zigart has stepped into her own.
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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- I get the point totally. We live in the snowflake society where some riders forget they are getting paid to ride and get results. When they have a few issues they try to look outside of the real issue instead of themselves. It odd so many of the team are making no complaints and getting on with their job. If you do not like what you do find another job simples. Tough love as my mum would say.paultryan200207-11-2026
- many people advise him to grow slowly and rather do giro and/or vuelta instead of tdf. but i can totally understand that he is not satisfied with taking over once pogi declines, but instead beat him in his prime. so if he goes for tdf again, i‘m all for it. let‘s hope that pogi recovers soon!Ketterechts07-11-2026
- So gracious to offer something no-one would be prepared to pay for. The Giro is not the Tour and doesn’t command the same interest or attract the same “elite” (those willing to pay to be a part of something they consider has ego boosting potential). Roadside viewing will always largely remain free for everyone outside circuits. Introduction of a symbolic entrance to mountain climbs is worthy of exploration. Asking 1-2€ isn’t going to repulse real fans (most will spend 50-100€ on their outing that day all things included) but will prevent a portion of the total knobhead thrillseekers who will join in any large gathering as long as it’s free, just because they’re attracted to crowds, without which it it difficult for them to work up their anti-social behaviour.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- How is radio going to help when someone went over a cliff or bridge or off the roadside into a forest unnoticed and is laying there unconscious?Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- Yep, next we’ll be accusing F1 drivers of avoiding Le Mans.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- But on what is that opinion based? Are you holding him to a different standard than others? Are you saying he should do learn to like something he doesn’t Are you saying he hasn’t achieved enough Are you saying he pretends to be better than his results? It’s actually a really strange opinion to oust if you consider it objectively or rationally. Try applying it to others or yourself by asking if not EVERYONE should then be doing more? Nobody in athletics or swimming gets criticism for not expanding their repertoire when a rival or someone else does. In fact, most who move to another event get accused of running from their rival. Opinions are boring, the reasons behind them are what count.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- for a medical chief to throw things like is just bad. There are already radios which were banned for spectacle. allow radios. Gps trackers are not a complete solutionabstractengineer07-11-2026
- Yeah man...PogiSloFans07-11-2026
- any rider less than 25 whether they are really ready for the position of leadership of GT is probably not the case. I think Pogi himself suffered when he was defeated by Jonas in the TDF twice. But that would be the team's job to ensure support so that they can bounce back. It requires a team and time to get back up and win after getting knocked down.abstractengineer07-11-2026
- I'm very glad he got the big late Quickstep Vuelta win and I hope he has a few left for Euskaltel-Euskadi.flyer07-11-2026
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