What’s it like to ride with Tadej Pogacar? Pavel Sivakov reveals all: “I pushed myself so hard that I eventually burned out”
Cycling
Pavel Sivakov, UAE Team Emirates - XRG rider, recently joined Jack Haig's Rest Day podcast to discuss his experiences riding alongside Tadej Pogacar and the challenges of competing at the highest level of professional cycling.
Reflecting on last year’s Tour de France, Sivakov shared the intensity of the race and how it left little room for camaraderie during the stages. "In last year's Tour, we had to give our all in every stage, so you actually have almost no time to talk to colleagues. Usually, the final stage to Paris offers that opportunity, but last year’s final time trial to Nice forced me to dig deep one last time. I’d rather have the finish on the Champs-Élysées," he revealed.
Sivakov also highlighted the impact of Pogacar's exceptional performances on the team dynamic. "Tadej performing so well takes the pressure off the rest of us, which actually helps us ride better. It is good that as a team we also ride smaller races, because then it is easier to win," he explained. He contrasted this with the challenges faced in major races. "In the big races, you’re often up against Jonas Vingegaard and Remco Evenepoel, in addition to Pogacar, which often means you can only get podium finishes — unless the team prioritizes wins."
For Sivakov, the 2024 season had standout moments, particularly at the Vuelta a Espana and Il Lombardia. "The Vuelta and Il Lombardia were the highlights of the year for me," he shared. "Because we performed so well as a team, I was very motivated to keep pushing myself. It was nice to contribute to Pogacar’s win in Lombardy. And at the World Championships in Zurich, I had a really great day in the breakaway alongside him."
Sivakov also reflected on the strain of racing at the front with Pogacar, acknowledging the physical toll it took. "When Pogacar and I were at the front, of course we worked together as teammates, but I pushed myself so hard that I eventually burned out," he admitted.
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- oooh, i LIKE the “family history” explanation! that one’s got some real depth and texture. you had me at UNRESOLVED GENERATIONAL TRAUMA. what i really do like about the whole thing is mathieu being bold enough to just say I DON’T LIKE THE TOUR DE FRANCE SO I’M NOT GOING. as you and i have discussed before, he marches to his own drummer.OCexile16-01-2025
- How many times have you looked at the perfect form of an athlete and marvelled at how easy that athlete makes it look when goes to work in his chosen sport? I marvel at Vanderpoel, Van aert, Pogacar and many many more. Cian is no different. He admires what those athletes do and it motivates him to be similar or better!1stpastthepost16-01-2025
- Why would he even mention Roglic? He can get 0 information from him and can't see how he's working and behaving. Makes 0 sensevappaxbipmv16-01-2025
- It might help to read it again. All Cian in that part is indicating is that he admires Roglic and Vingegegaard. This exact quote from the piece is really all you need to understand his thinking. "With Primoz Roglic and Jonas Vingegaard I have two great examples,"roadman5412116-01-2025
- That part isn't in quotation marks so the author came up with that. Second, Roglic winning at Visma doesn't help Cian at all, just because it's the same team. Froome also won the Tour riding for Sky and Ineos but that doesn't mean that the current riders there can help me (apart from G)vappaxbipmv16-01-2025
- Firstly, as far as I read it, the article only reports what Cisn said so the writer can’t be blamed for that. Secondly Cian rides for Visma, Jonas won and rides for Visma, Primoz rode and won for Visma, all he’s saying is he wants to follow by winning for Visma and he obviously feels it’s the right place for him to achieve it. Really don’t see much to get confused about, it’s a lot simpler and clearer than most of what I post, which incidentally isn’t intended for everyone, take what you will, ignore the rest is a good motto.Mistermaumau16-01-2025
- It's been like shooting fish in a barrel for the Portuguese anti-doping authority.
santiagobenites16-01-2025 - Then the article is stupid for talking about Visma's leaders in GTsvappaxbipmv15-01-2025
- Pain and death have long been distorted since the advent of mass gaming. Death is also a very ambiguous paradoxical topic religiously. I get that people get upset but when you pull your head out the sand and see what really goes on in the world, everywhere, anywhere at any time at every level, when you see certain ideologies, when you see what people do to each other, to kids for the sake of causes, emotions, perversion, kicks or money, the torture done by states, enemies, authorities or just sick individuals, this guy is not even a 6 on a scale of 10. To turn this into drama is like governments fighting plastic pollution with bans on single use straws. Please, these cases get treated, let’s focus more energy on the far worse ones that don’t. The last thing the world needs now is an army of Elons cherry picking examples of evil to hide the bigger picture. Flattening molehills on a mountain.Mistermaumau15-01-2025
- He’s just saying he wants to follow in the footsteps of someone like Roglic or Jonas, I doubt teams, races or exchanges have anything to do with his thinking.Mistermaumau15-01-2025