"There are still some angry stories about me in Slovenia" - Tadej Pogacar reveals he is not everyone's fan favourite in Slovenia after dethroning Primoz Roglic at 2020 Tour de France

Slovenia has been blessed with two generational talents in Primoz Roglic and Tadej Pogacar, who are currently two of the World's best in any terrain, but specifically the mountains and stage-races. Pogacar admits however that back home some do not like him after the 2020 Planche des Belles Filles Time-trial.

“We had mixed feelings. Primoz has a lot of prestige in Slovenia. And then in the most important stage on the penultimate day he is suddenly beaten by a newcomer. That has gone down badly with most people. Many were even angry with Tadej," Pogacar's mother said in an interview with Ride Maganize. That Tour saw the two compatriots enter the final time-trial first and second.

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Roglic was in the yellow jersey and expected to be the main favourite to win the stage, but under pressure he cracked, and Tadej Pogacar soared to an incredible stage win which also saw him overturn the overall classification and win his first Tour.

“There are still some angry stories about me in Slovenia. I still feel like I have to prove myself over and over again to some people in my home country," Pogacar backed up. "Because of all the negative noises that were circulating at the time, I did not celebrate that Tour victory in 2020 too exuberant either. It was not the homecoming I had wished for as a Tour winner.”

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Ever since, Roglic has taken a glorious win in this year's final Giro time-trial, however that comes years after the "damage" was done in the two riders' fanbase. “Everyone was already convinced before that time trial that Primoz would win the Tour de France. Even my team and I had already resigned ourselves to second place," he said, of what was his Tour de France debut, with a UAE Team Emirates that wasn't built around him, but where Jumbo-Visma was already perfectly prepared for.

"That classification was already a fantastic success for us. Second in the classification, three stage victories and winner of the young rider classification. I had only dared to dream of that. However, as a rider you push yourself to the limit and you always try to win. That's what I did that day at La Planche des Belles Filles. I was given the opportunity and took it due to the circumstances. I still managed to win that Tour and that was the big breakthrough for me as a cyclist," he concluded.

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