“You cannot imagine how good he is, especially when he starts throwing around his watts per kilogram" - Pogacar stuns his own teammates ahead of Tour de France
Cycling
Tadej Pogacar has not only blown away whole pelotons this season, but even stunned his teammates with his power numbers and awesome capabilities on a bike. Ahead of the Tour de France, some riders have brought up comparisons between their level and the Slovenian's.
Koen Bouwman and Sam Oomen spoke about Pogacar's level in recent interviews, with Bouwman claiming that the UAE Team Emirates XRG leader makes his fellow pros look amateur when he cuts loose.
His Tour de France teammate, Florian Vermeesch, has offered his assessment on his fellow riders' tactics when it comes to Pogacar. Noting that many choose not to try to follow Pogacar, he understands it can be counter-intuitive.
Vermeesch on Pogacar's level
“I understand why some riders do not even try to follow when Tadej accelerates uphill,” Vermeersch said in an interview with HLN. “They know they could blow up, get countered and end up losing even more time.”
While understanding the peloton's frustrations, Vermeesch does not think Pogacar should hold himself back for the sake of keeping his opposition happy.
“I understand the frustration and despondency among other riders when they are performing at their best, only for someone else to ride another five kilometres per hour faster. I would think it was wrong if he deliberately started holding back to give the others hope."
Vermeesch says Pogacar's level 'depressing' when compared to his own
He added that other riders would do exactly like Pogacar does if they had the strength: “Tadej is simply that good. Anyone, including me, would race exactly the same way with his legs and keep showing that he is the best.”
When it comes to his own opinion on the Slovenian, there's only one way the Belgian can put it - depressing. According to Vermeesch, the Pogacar standard is just step above for him and many fellow pros.
“You cannot imagine how good he is, especially when he starts throwing around his watts per kilogram, it can be quite depressing for me. You really cannot compare yourself with him. If you use Tadej as the standard, you are not going to be satisfied.”
Pogacar is the big favourite as he leads the Emirati squad at the Gradn boucle, kicking off with a team time trial in Barcelona on Saturday. With several rivals arriving with good preparation, fans are eagerly anticipating a GC battle to include the likes of Jonas Vingegaard, Paul Seixas and Remco Evenepoel.
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.
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