Latest news with #TADEJPOGACAR
The 42
29-07-2025
- Sport
- The 42
Pogacar to skip Vuelta after Tour de France triumph
TADEJ POGACAR WILL not race in the Vuelta a Espana next month following his latest Tour de France triumph, his team said on Tuesday. 'Fresh from his emphatic fourth victory at the Tour de France, (Pogacar) will take a well-earned break,' UAE Team Emirates said as they named their eight-man squad for the Vuelta. The 26-year-old Pogacar crushed his rivals to collect another Tour title on Sunday, adding to those won in 2020, 2021 and 2024. 'After such a demanding Tour, we decided it was best to take a break,' Pogacar said in a team statement. 'The Vuelta is of course a race I would dearly love to return to. I have fantastic memories there from 2019, but now the body is telling me to rest.' Pogacar plans to return to competition in the Canadian one-day races in Quebec and Montreal in mid-September, a week before the world championships begin in Rwanda. 'I'm excited to go back to Canada; the races are tough but beautiful, and they fit my style well,' he said. Advertisement 'I'll be aiming to be back racing well again for that part of the season and for the World Championships especially.' The Vuelta is the only Grand Tour that Pogacar has not won. He finished third in his only participation in 2019. Pogacar won the Giro d'Italia last year on his debut. This year's Vuelta begins in Turin, Italy, on 23 August and ends in Madrid on 14 September. – © AFP 2025 Tadej Pogacar will not race in the Vuelta a Espana next month following his latest Tour de France triumph, his team said on Tuesday. 'Fresh from his emphatic fourth victory at the Tour de France, (Pogacar) will take a well-earned break,' UAE Team Emirates said as they named their eight-man squad for the Vuelta. The 26-year-old Pogacar crushed his rivals to collect another Tour title on Sunday, adding to those won in 2020, 2021 and 2024. 'After such a demanding Tour, we decided it was best to take a break,' Pogacar said in a team statement. 'The Vuelta is of course a race I would dearly love to return to. I have fantastic memories there from 2019, but now the body is telling me to rest.' Pogacar plans to return to competition in the Canadian one-day races in Quebec and Montreal in mid-September, a week before the world championships begin in Rwanda. 'I'm excited to go back to Canada; the races are tough but beautiful, and they fit my style well,' he said. 'I'll be aiming to be back racing well again for that part of the season and for the World Championships especially.' The Vuelta is the only Grand Tour that Pogacar has not won. He finished third in his only participation in 2019. Pogacar won the Giro d'Italia last year on his debut. This year's Vuelta begins in Turin, Italy, on August 23 and ends in Madrid on September 14.
The Sun
27-07-2025
- Sport
- The Sun
One of the hardest, if not the hardest, Tours I've been in, says Pogacar
TADEJ POGACAR all but sealed his fourth Tour de France title on Saturday after surviving what he claims is one of the most brutal Tours he has ridden, leaving only Sunday's ride into Paris between him and another triumph in the world's greatest race. The defending champion leads Jonas Vingegaard by 4:24 in the general classification heading into Stage 21, which will feature a spectacular finale with three climbs of the Butte Montmartre in the French capital — a twist on the traditional Champs-Elysees parade. 'Every year we say it's the hardest Tour ever, but I know that this year's Tour was something on another level,' Pogacar told reporters after finishing Saturday's 20th stage in the main bunch. 'Maybe one day we went a bit easier, but if you look at the power files throughout the whole Tour, it's been really amazing and tough. Even today we almost went all out from start to finish.' The 26-year-old, who previously won the race in 2020, 2021 and last year, said the gruelling route had tested the peloton to its limits. 'I must say that even though it was the hardest, one of the hardest Tours I ever did, I enjoyed it and had good shape and good legs. Really looking forward to the last day tomorrow,' Pogacar, who has won 10 stages in the last two Tours, added. After crossing the line on the penultimate stage, Pogacar, who on Friday said he was counting down the kilometres to Paris, hinted at a quick return to his bike despite three punishing weeks on the road. 'Monday, I travel home, Tuesday maybe I go on the bike. You never know — if I feel good, I do a bit of riding, stop for coffee and enjoy summer at home,' he said with a smile. Asked about a possible appearance at the Vuelta a Espana later this year, which could further cement his place among cycling's greatest in case of victory, Pogacar remained non-committal. 'We will decide a couple of days after the Tour, after everything is calm. Then we can make decisions for the next races,' he said. 'I think it's going to be tough to decide. Of course, I would like to go to the Vuelta. Every year I do the Tour and I would like to do the Vuelta one day also, yeah, we will see.' World champion Pogacar has won the Tour three times, achieved a rare Giro-Tour double last year, and has already claimed victory in three of the five Monuments - the most prestigious one-day races - prompting comparisons with Belgian all-time great Eddy Merckx - REUTERS
The Sun
19-07-2025
- Sport
- The Sun
Dominant Pogacar not in a giving mood as Tour lead swells
TADEJ POGACAR has no intention of handing out freebies at this year's Tour de France - not even with the yellow jersey firmly on his back and rivals gasping for air in the mountains. After storming to his fourth stage victory, the UAE Team Emirates - XRG leader dismissed the idea that he should back off to spare his competitors - a trend that emerged during the Lance Armstrong era - insisting that every opportunity to win is one worth taking. 'I'm not here to make enemies, but it's the Tour de France. You cannot just back off. The team pays you to win, not to give away. If there's an opportunity, you go for it,' the Slovenian said. The world champion's commanding time trial victory on Friday further solidified his lead in the general classification, coming a day after he dealt a massive blow to his main rivals. The defending champion leads Jonas Vingegaard by a massive 4:07 after quadrupling his advantage over the Danish rider in two days. Yet Pogacar said he's not thinking about the next summit finish or iconic climb just yet. 'The big point of the Tour was today,' he said. 'Now, we go stage by stage. The goal is to defend the jersey and keep the same gap. We can't burn out the team - we have to be smart.' Asked whether his dominance risked alienating others in the peloton, Pogacar was unapologetic. 'When I finish my career, I probably won't talk to 99% of the peloton anyway. I'll focus on my close friends and family.' Despite the bravado, he remains acutely aware of how quickly things can unravel at the Tour. 'In 2022 and 2023, I cracked. I had great tours, but I lost. You never know - a bad day can always come,' he said, referring to his painful losses to Vingegaard. The three-time Tour champion also offered a rare moment of introspection when asked what keeps him pushing after every win. 'What's the point of anything?' he said. 'I built my life around the bike. I met my closest friends and my fiancee through cycling. You just have to enjoy the moment - not just the victories.' Still, with the finish in Paris looming, Pogacar shows no sign of slowing or sharing the glory, true to his 'Baby Cannibal' nickname, a reference to all-time great Eddy Merckx, the man he could emulate one day. Just like the Belgian he can win the Tour the year after claiming the world title, a feat achieved by only three riders, with American Greg LeMond in 1990 being the last to achieve it - REUTERS
The Sun
19-07-2025
- Sport
- The Sun
Pogacar dominates Tour de France with no plans to slow down
TADEJ POGACAR has no intention of handing out freebies at this year's Tour de France - not even with the yellow jersey firmly on his back and rivals gasping for air in the mountains. After storming to his fourth stage victory, the UAE Team Emirates - XRG leader dismissed the idea that he should back off to spare his competitors - a trend that emerged during the Lance Armstrong era - insisting that every opportunity to win is one worth taking. 'I'm not here to make enemies, but it's the Tour de France. You cannot just back off. The team pays you to win, not to give away. If there's an opportunity, you go for it,' the Slovenian said. The world champion's commanding time trial victory on Friday further solidified his lead in the general classification, coming a day after he dealt a massive blow to his main rivals. The defending champion leads Jonas Vingegaard by a massive 4:07 after quadrupling his advantage over the Danish rider in two days. Yet Pogacar said he's not thinking about the next summit finish or iconic climb just yet. 'The big point of the Tour was today,' he said. 'Now, we go stage by stage. The goal is to defend the jersey and keep the same gap. We can't burn out the team - we have to be smart.' Asked whether his dominance risked alienating others in the peloton, Pogacar was unapologetic. 'When I finish my career, I probably won't talk to 99% of the peloton anyway. I'll focus on my close friends and family.' Despite the bravado, he remains acutely aware of how quickly things can unravel at the Tour. 'In 2022 and 2023, I cracked. I had great tours, but I lost. You never know - a bad day can always come,' he said, referring to his painful losses to Vingegaard. The three-time Tour champion also offered a rare moment of introspection when asked what keeps him pushing after every win. 'What's the point of anything?' he said. 'I built my life around the bike. I met my closest friends and my fiancee through cycling. You just have to enjoy the moment - not just the victories.' Still, with the finish in Paris looming, Pogacar shows no sign of slowing or sharing the glory, true to his 'Baby Cannibal' nickname, a reference to all-time great Eddy Merckx, the man he could emulate one day. Just like the Belgian he can win the Tour the year after claiming the world title, a feat achieved by only three riders, with American Greg LeMond in 1990 being the last to achieve it - REUTERS
