"We really need each other” – How Urska Zigart and Tadej Pogacar are aiming for historic European Championship double

For years, Tadej Pogacar and Urska Zigart have been one of cycling’s most admired partnerships — two driven athletes navigating the demands of elite sport while maintaining an unshakeable bond. Now, as both prepare for this weekend’s European Championships, the couple find themselves in rare harmony: training, travelling and racing side by side, united by form, focus and a shared sense of purpose.

In the past, their hectic racing calendars often kept them apart for long stretches. Pogacar’s relentless World Tour schedule — heavy on stage races and altitude camps — rarely aligned with Zigart’s commitments in the women’s peloton. Yet 2025 has offered a welcome change of rhythm.

“We’ve been able to spend a lot of time together,” Zigart explained in quotes collected by IDL Pro Cycling. “Since the Tour, we’ve only been apart for a week, when Tadej was in Canada. It’s good for us to spend time together like this, even though we know it’s not possible every year. We motivate and push each other, and we really need each other.”

That connection has been visible throughout the late season. After Pogacar sealed his fourth Tour de France victory, the pair were inseparable in their preparations for the World Championships in Rwanda and now the Europeans in France. Both have thrived off the dynamic, channelling the stability of their relationship into their professional form.

For Pogacar, Zigart’s presence at races adds a sense of balance. “Urska needs to be here, she’s very motivated,” he said during his press conference. “It helps that I’m here, so we can travel together and be together. That’s easier when we’re riding the same races. If I had the choice, I would want to ride everything with her all year round. I appreciate moments like these, when you can be together in the races.”

Zigart agrees. “We keep each other focused, but we also motivate each other,” she explained. “Sometimes Tadej has a bad day, and sometimes I do, but then we pull each other along. For example, one day this week, he had two hours of light training, and I had four hours of intense training. Tadej ended up riding with me for almost the entire session.”

Pogacar will line up among the favourites in the men’s road race, while Zigart targets a breakthrough result in the women’s event. The Slovenian champion believes the parcours could suit her strengths. “It will be a tough race at the European Championships, with selective climbs,” she said. “I hope to be there, especially on the long climb. I hope to finish in the top ten, but I hope to surprise with more.”

Zigart has already accumulated four national time trial titles, one road title and a stage victory in Valencia. More recently, her consistency at World Tour level suggests the long-awaited step up could be imminent. “I’m looking forward to next season,” she added. “I dream of performing well in the big races.”

With Pogacar chasing another title to add to his extraordinary 2025 season — and Zigart poised for her own moment in the spotlight — Slovenia could be on the verge of a historic weekend.