Tour de France ready - Tadej Pogacar ends training camp as he's named in Time Magazine list of most influential people in sport

Tadej Pogacar bid farewell to Sierra Nevada last weekend as he ended his high altitude training camp. Entering the final phase of preparation for the 2026 Tour de France, the Slovenian is almost ready for the July 4th Grand Depart, but faces one key test first.

The UAE Team Emirates - XRG leader will be at the start line for the Tour de Suisse on June 17th as he looks to add the stage race to his burgeoning palmares and knows that he's put in the hard work in the Spanish high mountains in his bid to be in top shape for July.

Finishing the classics - which require a slightly heavier and more powerful physique - Pogacar entered a new cycle of the season as his emphasis shifted from short sharp efforts and terrain to endurance and long climbing efforts, meaning he would need to slim down for optimal performance in a grand tour.

According to reports, the 27-year-old wrapped up his training camp on Sunday, June 7th, giving him roughly ten days to recover and prepare for the Swiss WorldTour test. Pogacar will arrive as the overwhelming general classification favourite, while fellow stars Primoz Roglic and Mathieu van der Poel are also expected at the stage race.

Meanwhile, Pogacar has been named as one of the 100 most influential people in sport. Time Magazine included the four-time Tour de France winner amongst stars such as tennis giant Carlos Alcarez, football star Lionel Messi and golfing great Rory McIlroy.

The iconic magazine is known for its 'Person of the Year' award but also releases lists of influential people each year, for the first time this year it included the sporting world, where Pogačar was the only cyclist to make the list.

"A four-time champion of the Tour de France—including the last two editions of the world’s premier cycling event—Tadej Pogačar, 27, can win anywhere on two wheels: Grand Tours, one-week stage races, one-day classics, world-championship road races, and individual time trials. He can win across cobble or gravel and is a master uphill climber," the magazine's description reads.

Pogacar can add a fifth Tour crown, his third in a row, next month but faces stiff competition in France in the form of an old rival and an emerging superstar.

With Jonas Vingegaard recently winning the Giro d'Italia and a debuting Paul Seixas emerging as a possible challenger to the Slovenian's dominance, fans are hoping to witness a general classification battle this summer.