"We will see if we are really ready for Tour" - Tadej Pogacar primed and ready for Suisse but has Tour de France on his mind
Cycling
Tadej Pogacar is primed and ready to take on his first Tour de Suisse. After a hard training camp, the Tour de France champion is ready to find out if he's in shape for the Grand Boucle next month.
The UAE Team Emirates - XRG leader arrives at the Swiss WorldTour race for the first time, hoping to add another honour to his palmares and fine tune preparations for the Tour de France, where he is favourite ahead of contenders such as Jonas Vingegaard, Remco Evenepoel and Paul Seixas.
Approaching the second phase of his season, the Slovenian is rolling with the rhythm of re-finding his grand tour shape, and is well aware that now is the time to find his fitness with the July 4th Grand Depart looming large.
"We've been in training camp with the team, quite hard trainings, just good rhythm every day," Pogacar told Cycling Pro Net. "Now we are here for Tour de Suisse, we will test the legs already tomorrow."
Is Pogacar ready for the Tour de France?
"We will see if we are really ready for Tour or if we need to look for something more in the trainings after the Suisse. Normally, now it should be the moment to be already ready and we will see."
The four-time Tour champion feels good, however, but noted the changed race is a "shame" but is taking the positives and the chance to test his level - with the race concluding two weeks before the Tour.
He continued: "Yes, feelings have been great and I can't complain. It's a bit shame it's not nine days like it used to be, with the classic stages with big mountains.
Pogacar previews opening stage
"It's a bit different but I think it will still be very nice. Nice racing for the legs, for the speed and to test the legs as well. It's also good that it's only five days because then you can recover faster after. We will see how it goes."
With a punchy opening stage, featuring short climbs and a finish that could bring contenders like Mathieu van der Poel into play, Pogacar expects attacks, but hinted it won't be him initiating the moves.
Read also
Pogacar looked ahead to the opening stage: "Tomorrow is a hard stage in the final with the short climbs and a lot of guys can do something there. There will probably be a lot of attacking if somebody feels good.
"We have a good team here to follow and maybe we try ourselves something and try to go for the stage even tomorrow."
Gavin QuinnCycling Journalist
Gavin Quinn is a cycling journalist and ultra-distance cyclist with a BA in Journalism from Dublin City University. Formerly the Press & Communications Officer for Cycling Ireland, Gavin has worked inside the national team at the World Championships and has reported for the Irish Mirror, Mirror UK, and The42.
His expertise is backed by elite-level access, having interviewed stars like Sam Bennett and Ben Healy, as well as immense personal endurance. In 2025, he completed a 12,000km solo cycle from Ireland to Vietnam, following a 4,600km tour across Europe. From the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix to the gradients of the Tourmalet, Gavin’s writing focuses on the "romance and brutality" of the sport. Having visited 50+ countries, he brings a global, cultural perspective to his coverage of the pro peloton for CyclingUpToDate.
claps 1visitors 1
Just in
Popular news
Latest comments
- It would be great if the World Champion's jersey could be rotated among McNulty, Simmons, and Jorgenson. They threaded the needle perfectly. If each hadn't done exactly what he did, exactly when he did it, the race would have gone to one of the more heralded superstars. That said, how nice that this humble and hardworking guy gets his moment in the sun.
MarkFour07-11-2026 - This is a really interesting idea, which, if well prepared could even be very successful. Very little money needs to be involved for a first season and any success could lead to rapid interest from sponsors.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- Hmmm, you seem to have a very convenient black and white view of things. Perhaps you haven’t been around much to discover how complex problems can become over time with people who know how to control, manipulate (or worse) others so gradually or subtly that you arrive at an irresolvable situation before you realise. This is how many inconveniences get introduced to the young, naïve, passionate or “desperate”, knowing they are not armed, protected or strong enough to defend themselves once it’s too late. Why do you think omerta culture is so widespread, why do you think so many people continue to go through so many awful things in life that others can’t understand anyone getting into? Life may be far more jolly for you but you would do well to understand (or reflect more on) the real world to refrain from being so quick to criticise those in a hard spot that may have genuine reason for speaking out.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- Seriously do you think when somebody gets into a serious accident, the ambulance is called by the hurt person?🤦 there is always a buddy system in place for a risky job. police , firefighters etc so that if someone gets hurt, the other call that in.abstractengineer07-11-2026
- I get the point totally. We live in the snowflake society where some riders forget they are getting paid to ride and get results. When they have a few issues they try to look outside of the real issue instead of themselves. It odd so many of the team are making no complaints and getting on with their job. If you do not like what you do find another job simples. Tough love as my mum would say.paultryan200207-11-2026
- many people advise him to grow slowly and rather do giro and/or vuelta instead of tdf. but i can totally understand that he is not satisfied with taking over once pogi declines, but instead beat him in his prime. so if he goes for tdf again, i‘m all for it. let‘s hope that pogi recovers soon!Ketterechts07-11-2026
- So gracious to offer something no-one would be prepared to pay for. The Giro is not the Tour and doesn’t command the same interest or attract the same “elite” (those willing to pay to be a part of something they consider has ego boosting potential). Roadside viewing will always largely remain free for everyone outside circuits. Introduction of a symbolic entrance to mountain climbs is worthy of exploration. Asking 1-2€ isn’t going to repulse real fans (most will spend 50-100€ on their outing that day all things included) but will prevent a portion of the total knobhead thrillseekers who will join in any large gathering as long as it’s free, just because they’re attracted to crowds, without which it it difficult for them to work up their anti-social behaviour.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- How is radio going to help when someone went over a cliff or bridge or off the roadside into a forest unnoticed and is laying there unconscious?Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- Yep, next we’ll be accusing F1 drivers of avoiding Le Mans.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- But on what is that opinion based? Are you holding him to a different standard than others? Are you saying he should do learn to like something he doesn’t Are you saying he hasn’t achieved enough Are you saying he pretends to be better than his results? It’s actually a really strange opinion to oust if you consider it objectively or rationally. Try applying it to others or yourself by asking if not EVERYONE should then be doing more? Nobody in athletics or swimming gets criticism for not expanding their repertoire when a rival or someone else does. In fact, most who move to another event get accused of running from their rival. Opinions are boring, the reasons behind them are what count.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
Loading
Write a comment