Tadej Pogacar shares details on Tour de France preparation

Tadej Pogacar has opened up about how his season has been so far, and how he looks to prepare for his title defence at the Tour de France. Two broad subjects, which the Slovenian super-talent has talked about in a recent interview.

"This year's season was a bit different than last year's, as I took one step forward, especially in one-day races. Winning the Strade Bianche will remain in my memory forever," he told RTV SLO. He's also had very good words regarding the Tour des Flandres, where he finished fourth after an ever-attacking race: "Immediately after the finish line, I told myself that I would definitely come again. The second year is still far away, but Flanders is a fantastic race that I want to drive as many times as possible. The second was more or less than last year."

"Now I train mostly in the vicinity of Slovenska Bistrica... It was nice to train on home roads. Three years ago there were not many cyclists on these roads, but now there are more people on bikes. , even in bad weather, which you haven't noticed before. I'm really happy about that," he added. After the passing of his partner Urška Žigart's mother, he opted out of his title defence at Liège-Bastogne-Liège and has stayed in Slovenia, where he has began preparing for the Tour de France. 

"Now I am slowly stepping up the training process of preparations for the Tour de France," he said. "Next weekend I'm going to the Pyrenees to see the stages of this year's race, then the time-trial and then three stages in the Alps. I'll be busy before the altitude training, we're already on the Tour."

Pogacar will then ride, like last year, the Tour of Slovenia before the big goal in the summer. However before returning to Slovenia he will travel to Livigno for an altitude camp: "I'm going to altitude training for three weeks in Livigno, Italy, followed by the Tour of Slovenia to return to the competitive rhythm to get used to a large group, attacks and high heart rate."

All part of the plan before going for a third attempt at a Tour de France win. "After the Tour of Slovenia I don't know what awaits me in in the meantime, maybe I'll go to altitude again for a week, and then I'll go to Copenhagen to start the Tour," he concluded.