Breaking News: On Tadej Pogacar’s birthday, his head coach, Javier Sola, honored him with the title of the best cyclist, along with a reward of around 4 million euros for his remarkable achievements.
Tadej Pogacar is nearing his 26th birthday, which, by today’s cycling standards, is considered relatively old. However, the Slovenian, who has just claimed his first Giro d’Italia and third Tour de France this year, clearly still has plenty left to give. The potential heights his career can reach remain a topic of intrigue.
Though the UAE Team Emirates rider prefers to focus on more immediate objectives, there are still some races to conquer this year. “I don’t like to speculate about the future or discuss breaking records,” Pogacar told CNN Sport. Many regard him as a prime contender to match or even surpass the legendary five Tour de France victories, but Pogacar isn’t interested in making predictions. “I’ve won three Tours now, and if I stay healthy, I could have another 10 years ahead. So, the odds of winning five are good, but that’s not my primary goal.”
One of his biggest rivals is Jonas Vingegaard, the Danish rider who claimed victory in the 2022 and 2023 Tour de France editions. Despite Vingegaard arriving in less-than-ideal form this year due to a spring crash, he still pushed Pogacar to the limit. “Jonas has beaten me twice at the Tour, which has only fueled my motivation,” Pogacar said, already looking ahead to their future battles. “At the top level, we push each other to our limits. We all have good relationships, but in competition, we all strive to win and push each other to new heights.”
Often compared to cycling legend Eddy Merckx, who won 11 Grand Tours, 19 Monuments, and three World Championships, Pogacar isn’t fond of the comparison. “I can’t compare myself to Eddy Merckx because that was a different era,” he explained. “It’s flattering, but it can also be annoying. I just want to be myself, race my own races, and create my own legacy.”
