Tadej Pogacar: "Monuments and the World Championship are the most beautiful races for me"

Tadej Pogacar has recently won an award in Slovenia where he was together with his fiancée Urska Zigart and truth be told, the UAE Team Emirates rider is at the very top of the cycling world where he can choose what he wants to do in 2025. No Paris-Roubaix likely, a hint at the Vuelta a España and what his favourite races are were among topics of discussion.

"The time to count the laurels will be after the end of his career. You work hard all year for races to prove yourself. It's nice to relive memories during the break after the season. That's why such events are close to my heart," Pogacar told RTV SLO. "There have been so many great victories this year. Basically the biggest races. But the national team victory at the World Championship may have a little more meaning. But I can't really decide which victory means the most to me. The whole season has been superb".

The Worlds in Zurich were a specially impressive rider, taking off from the peloton with 100 kilometers to go and racing the final 51 by himself, a strong solo move that earned him the rainbow jersey for the first time in his career. Whilst he could well be the man to beat for the hilly route in Kigali next year, he knows this may be the hardest title to defend.

"I have already defended my victory in quite a few races. Sometimes it worked out, sometimes it didn't. Next year will be no different when I defend my victories. The only thing that will stand out is the World Championship, because it is a specific race. It has not happened many times that someone has repeated their victory at the World Championship. Some have succeeded, but only special cyclists. So this title will be the most difficult to defend. I will also be more happy to go to races where I have not yet celebrated and try to win there".

He will aim for the UAE Tour, Milano-Sanremo and Tour of Flanders in the spring as big goals. Paris-Roubaix is likely not yet in the goal list. "Not yet. But you never know, if the form is right for such a race, the program can also be rearranged during the year. However, I don't see myself in this race yet. Another year, two, maybe three, but the Vuelta will definitely be earlier than Paris-Roubaix".

He was asked about the Tour de France, which he won dominantly with climbing performances better than ever: "The Tour de France is certainly the biggest race in the world, and it lasts for three weeks. It's a really big cycling holiday throughout July. But I really enjoy the classics, the one-day races. You don't have to struggle for 21 days, but just one day. Monuments and the World Championship are the most beautiful races for me,"

"In cycling, there are bad days, and in sport in general, in my opinion, there are bad days. I had a few myself, but luckily it was not visible on the outside and I can keep it to myself," he added. After winning Il Lombardia for a fourth time in a row he took time off the bike for well deserved holidays, and has been so far splitting the winter months between holidays, home in Monaco and his home country of Slovenia.

"When it was time to rest, it was really time not to think about the bike. Now here in Slovenia it was very diverse. Everywhere around. It's been quite cold this week and nothing is 'peeling' out. Very unpleasant. The kind of time when you have to grit your teeth and do the training. But the time for the first joint preparations in warmer places is approaching, when it will be a real pleasure to do a long training. A few more things need to be arranged, a few events, and then the first December preparations with the team in the warm weather will slowly begin," he concluded.