Urska Zigart suffered a crash at the Giro Donne, suffering a concussion, and on the same day, Tadej Pogacar was dramatically dropped by Jonas Vingegaard on the Col de Marie Blanque, losing over a minute. On that day Tadej Pogacar was in a bad place mentally and his fiancée Urka Zigart talks of how she convinced him to stay in the race on that day.
“He called me after the stage to ask me how it went. I told him it wasn't over. Then he asked me why not, he knows I never quit a race," Zigart said in an interview with NOS. "So he got worried right away. He said: I want to go home. So I told him: you are not going home, this is the Tour." After Zigart was released from the hospital her situation was stable and she began her recovery. In the men's Tour Pogacar had taken a big hit.
The next day the race could've been close to sealed as Jumbo-Visma and Jonas Vingegaard went all-out from far away, but the Slovenian had an answer. It was a new Pogacar, looking more motivated, specially after taking back time and winning the stage in Cauterets. As the race moved on to the east of France next to their Monaco residence, the two have been able to meet in the meantime and it has given him a breath of fresh air.
"He likes that he is closer, that we can see each other, even if he has to wait two hours for a five-minute hug. You recharge your battery if you can talk to someone about something else, not just cycling," Zigart says. Although Pogacar has yesterday lost another big chunk of time on the race's sole time-trial, the level remains very high and there are two stages to go.
For the Slovenian however, the most important thing is that her partner finishes the race safely, specially taking into consideration recent events in professional cycling. “For me, the most important thing is that he finishes safe and sound. I don't want him to be in danger on the descents. The normal worry you have when someone you love is driving 100 km/h," she concluded.
Pogačar 2nd in time trial as big mountains loom. #TDF2023 💬 @TamauPogi : “I didn’t feel the best in the second part but I still went pretty solid. I hope for tomorrow and next stages to have good legs again.“ Full report: uaeteamemirates.com/pogacar-2nd-ti… #UAETeamEmirates #WeAreUAE
