"Normally I charge between €20 and €30 for a cut, but Tadej Pogacar gave me €45!" - Belgian barber gets unique insight on world champion after Tour of Flanders recon

A routine recon of the Tour of Flanders route led to an unexpected moment in Waregem, where world champion Tadej Pogacar stopped for a haircut after a heavy day of training.

The visit was first reported by Het Nieuwsblad, and the reaction from the local barber showed just how memorable the stop turned out to be.

Pogacar began the week on the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix, where he joined Florian Vermeersch, Tim Wellens and Nils Politt to assess equipment choices. The group spent Tuesday testing different setups with a focus on tyre pressure, comfort on the pave and aerodynamic feel, according to the Belgian outlet.

On Wednesday morning he switched to the Tour of Flanders. Fans in the region spotted him on the Oude Kwaremont and the Paterberg while riding the Y1Rs aero bike. It was an eye catching choice for a recon often tackled on more robust models and it underlined how seriously UAE Team Emirates - XRG are approaching the build up to the spring monuments.

After finishing Tuesday’s training ride, Pogacar headed into the centre of Waregem with two friends and stepped into Odin’s Barbershop, a business that opened only a few weeks earlier. Barber Odin Samrel told Het Nieuwsblad that Pogacar had phoned him personally to arrange the visit.

Samrel said, "He showed me the hairstyle he wanted and I gave it to him. Tadej was super friendly, what a great person."

He added that he tried to offer the haircut for free, but Pogacar refused. As he put it, "I wanted to treat him, but he insisted on paying. Normally I charge between 20 and 30 euro for a cut, he gave me 45 euro."

A quick selfie rounded things off before the riders returned to their hotel.

The recon sessions will be the most important element for UAE as they shape their approach to two of cycling’s toughest races, but it was the relaxed visit to a Waregem barbershop that caught the public imagination. Pogacar’s calm manner and grounded presence continue to stand out, even in the middle of an intense classics build up.