Professional cycling is a brutal sport, not only tough on the athletes themselves but on their families and partners. Hence having the right person as a partner can be one of the single most important aspects when it comes to the psychological part of the sport. On International Women's Day, Tadej Pogacar did not hesitate to thank Urska Zigart for her role in his success.
'"he is a huge help to me, more than I can admit. Without her I wouldn't be able to do what I do, she makes my life easier on the bike," Pogacar said in words to In de Leiderstrui, who questioned several riders at the finish line this Saturday - which coincided with International Women's Day.
On Friday both Slovenian riders showed up at the team's presentation with the number 1 bib, a striking image of what is perhaps cycling's most popular couple. Pogacar has won the Giro d'Italia, Tour de France, two monuments and the World Championships - amongst several other races - in 2024, a year that could've hardly been any better, and psychologically speaking he seems to fit perfectly in a sport that often proves to be too harsh on the mental and physical state of riders.
But Pogacar finds in Zigart not only support, but a key part of why he is able to perform so well. "She understands me as a fellow professional, she supports me and sometimes puts her own goals aside to support me. I try to do that in return when I can. I was super happy that she is there often, I am grateful for her," he states. Zigart was present at the finish in Siena, where a bloodied Pogacar would take an epic win.
Earlier this week in an interview, Zigart herself was questioned about the Slovenian who she teams up with in daily life and was not afraid to complement him dearly: "When Tadej suddenly started to become successful, people warned me 'pay attention, Urska. Money and fame, it does something to a person.' But Tadej is still Tadej. That boy is so well-bred".
Tadej Pogacar and Urska Zigart after the 2025 Strade Bianche.
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Una coppia da n° 1 🥰👫🚴🚴♀️
— Eurosport IT (@Eurosport_IT) March 7, 2025
Tadej Pogacar e la fidanzata Urska Zigart, domani alle Strade Bianche partiranno entrambi col dorsale n° 1#EurosportCICLISMO #Cycling #StradeBianche #Pogacar #Zigart pic.twitter.com/2NijgNaAfX
Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
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- enough time? he's 24 years old. He's won 10 races over the last 2 years and some are significant. I won't argue about his attitude being good - it needs to improve. But with some coaching and mentorship he has a lot of winning ahead of him and has plenty of time to win a GT. I don't think he will ever beat Tadej, but everyone else is fair game Look at Mas and Valverde - they were 31 and 29, respectively, when they won the Vuelta.mij14-11-2026
- Pogacar has a fine head on his shoulders.Careful investments and a couple of coffee shops sounds like a wonderful way to chill after an intense career.Stay healthy GOAT.
Brucegel14-11-2026 - I live in Maribor.PogiSloFans14-11-2026
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