Tadej Pogacar won his first Tour de France in 2020 and it came as a big surprise, despite the immense potential that he had shown the years before. In a recent lengthy interview the UAE Team Emirates rider recalled that edition, how he beat Primoz Roglic in the final time-trial and even gave insight into his weight and power output.
"I was not expecting at all to win in 2020, it was Covid year, we had pretty good trainings, not too many races so not too much to prove. 2019 was a breakthrough year for me but then 2020 came and it was like a long period doing nothing, just training," Pogacar said in an interview with Peter Attia. "We went to the Tour with Fabio Aru and me as two leaders, and the result in the end I was fighting for a podium place, second place in the last week and I was really happy with that. Then the final time-trial came and turned the table around. Unbelievable. I think still a lot of people don't believe it happened".
On that day Pogacar was expected to put in a strong ride, but Roglic was known as the superior time-trialist and up until that point of the race, just as strong of a climber as Pogacar. Hence, it came as a huge surprise on the final time-trial to see Pogacar take down his compatriot in his specialty, and win the time-trial with 1:56 minutes over his compatriot - enough to snatch the yellow jersey.
"On the stage to Col de la Loze I was sure I was going to be second because this was the queen stage and I came behind Roglic just 15 seconds. [Miguel Ángel} López won that stage on the high mountains. That was the day I knew 'this is it' but I also thought Roglic believed he was going to win". Hence, Pogacar said that he entered the time-trial very relaxed and already with the sense of accomplishment. Perhaps that was the key to his victory.
"I knew the parcours really well because I did the recon before with Allan Peiper (the team DS at the time, ed.) and Mikkel Bjerg we did a lot on that, and then when the day came I was just... Everyone was happy around, everyone was happy around no tension no stress, we just roll with it, and in the end it was one of the best days I ever had," he recalls, with a smile.
"Roglic was starting behind me and I think two time checks on the flat before the final climb and I got the times... I think I was even behind [Roglic] and then on the climb there were so many people I did not hear a word in the radio I just went like we thought I would go and I just went full gas to the top". It was one of the best performances in modern Tour history and would net him the first of (currently) three Tour de France titles.
Attia asked him about the power on the climb to La Planche des Belles Filles but the Slovenian didn't have a power meter so as to have the lightest possible bike, but did share interesting information nonetheless: "I think I was doing 380-390 watts so nothing crazy on the flat. I guess I was just going fast enough to be in that range... I think that year in 2020 I was 66Kg. This year in the Tour I come to the start with 64.5 and then 65 and 65.5. Jumping around 65 throughout the Tour.
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