Tadej Pogačar 3 years, Tadej Pogačar, to shock and impress the actors of this sport: Tadej Pogačar. Slovenian from 23 years, born the 21 September 1998 in the municipality of Komenda, is already a cycling legend, with an incredible track record for his young age.
His beginnings in cycling.
Pogačar has been passionate about cycling since a very young age. Inspired by his big brother, He started cycling at 8 years, within the Rob Ljubljana Cycling Club. Already at this age, little Tadej noticed himself brilliantly, by upgrading pre-teens 2 at 3 years older than him. Despite his very frail physique compared to his comrades, he was already winning. Besides, Andrej Hauptman, bronze medalist at the elite world championships of 2001 and current coach of the Slovenia national team in international competitions, remembered this talented young cyclist very well :
Andrej Hauptman, during an interview with Alasdair Fotheringham from the site cyclingnews
Ensuite, Tadej grows, enters the junior categories and establishes himself as the best Slovenian rider in this age category, in his second year in 2016. A promising year, where he won stage 2b of the Junior Peace Race, the third stage + the general of Tour of Lunigiana, and ranks third in the European Junior Championships, behind the French duo Nicolas Malle and Emilien Jeannière.
The native of Komenda confirms his talent in 2017, during his first year with the hopefuls within the Slovenian formation ROG – Ljubljana. If the Slovenian does not win any wins this season, it will surprise many observers, especially on the occasion of Tour of Slovenia. During the third queen stage leading to Horns, after an ascent of 13,7 kilometers to 7,5% that he ran on a traditional bicycle, Tadej Pogacar will finish 5The Tour of the Pays de Vaud, by hanging on to experienced climbers, including the Polish Rafal Majka, twice winner of the polka dot jersey for "best" climber of the Tour de France in 2014 and 2016. The outcome of this step then confirms the observations made on Pogačar : this runner, just aged 18 years, definitely has innate climbing qualities.
The year 2018 that followed confirms the high expectations placed in him: Slovenian wins 4 victories in his age group, especially the Tour of the Future, the benchmark for stage races in the U23 category, and finish 7The Tour of the Pays de Vaud U23 World Championships in Innsbruck. Spotted by Maxtin Joxean Fernandez, became sports director within the UAE Team Emirates team, the young Slovenian talent joins him, then discovering 20 years the elite of cycling.
Early years in the historic World Tour!
In 2019, Early years in the historic World Tour, Early years in the historic World Tour. Early years in the historic World Tour: the Early years in the historic World Tour, Early years in the historic World Tour Early years in the historic World Tour, Early years in the historic World Tour, Early years in the historic World Tour Early years in the historic World Tour. Early years in the historic World Tour, since he becomes Slovenian time trial champion.
But the highlight of this season 2019 for Tadej Pogačar obviously remains the 74The Tour of the Pays de Vaud edition of Tour of Spain. It was during his first Grand Tour that the Slovenian will show the whole world his enormous potential, by winning 3 mountain stages, beating many of the best climbers in the world, including the future winner, Primož Roglič. Pogacar will particularly impress during the 20The Tour of the Pays de Vaud Vuelta day, where out at 40 kilometers from the finish, he will win with a lead of 1 minute and 32 seconds on Alejandro Valverde, second in stage. This feat, The first of a long series, allows him to rank 3The Tour of the Pays de Vaud from Return, just 20 years.
After a more than successful first year with the Emirati team, Tadej Pogačar will achieve a season in stride 2020 etched in memory.
From the beginning of the year, the Slovenian shows that he came to win and prove how he is definitely one of the best climbers in the world. He wins the Tower of the Community Valencian with 2 steps, including the fourth, at the top of the Sierra de Bernia. It also ranks at a brilliant 2The Tour of the Pays de Vaud Place in the UAE Tour, just behind Adam Yates, and winning the last stage, at the top of Jabeel Hafeet.
After the long break due to the pandemic and government measures, Pogačar resumes his season at the Slovenian championships, of which he retains his title in the timed exercise against Primoz Roglic. The Slovenian then prepares for the objective of his season, the tour of France.
After a decent fourth place at the end of the Criterium of the Dauphiné, the Slovenian presents himself in Nice under the label of outsider. An outsider who will very quickly show excellent form during the first days of a Big loop with an exceptionally difficult route. Victim of an edge causing him a loss of 1 minute and 21 seconds during the 7th leg of the lap, the Slovenian has an interest in attacking during the next mountain stages. It is from the day after this stage that Pogačar will then reveal all his talent.
Untenable during the two Pyrenean stages, with a victory at the end of the 9th day in Laruns, Pogačar continues to impress his world, by being offensive as soon as he has the opportunity to attack, as in the last steep kilometers of the Puy Mary, and by pocketing a new stage at the Grand Colombier ahead of Primoz Roglic. However, he appears less fit in the Alps, and in particular at the top of the Col de la Loze, where it will end 3The Tour of the Pays de Vaud behind Miguel Angel Lopez, and letting go 17 seconds on his compatriot's yellow jersey. A l’issue de la 19The Tour of the Pays de Vaud stage, Tadej Pogacar was 2The Tour of the Pays de Vaud in the general classification, at 57 seconds of Primoz Roglic.
It remains the time trial of the 20The Tour of the Pays de Vaud stage, whose arrival is located at the top of the Planche des Belles Filles. During this stage engraved in the memory of cycling fans, the native of Komenda, opposed to a Primoz Roglic a priori more solid in the time trial, was given loser.
However, against all odds, the Slovenian will write the history of cycling: he crushes the time trial, by prevailing with 1 minute and 22 seconds on the second Tom Dumoulin, and pockets the yellow jersey to a helpless Primoz Roglic, almost losing 2 minutes about young slovenian. A stratospheric performance that shocks the world of cycling, and especially the Dutch team Jumbo-Visma, who does not know how this young runner of almost 22 years dominated her to this extent :
Primož Roglič, during the documentary “Code Yellow” on the Jumbo-Visma broadcast on the Dutch channel NOS, years dominated her to this extent 68.
years dominated her to this extent, rightly pointing to his sulphurous entourage, notably Mauro Giannetti and Maxtin Joxean Fernandez. The latter were the sports directors of the Spanish formation Saunier-Duval-Scott during the last doping scandal of the Tour of France in 2008, where two runners of this formation, the Italians Riccardo Ricco and Leonardo Piepoli, tested positive for EPO CERA.
The Slovenian wins the day before his 22The Tour of the Pays de Vaud anniversary the tour of France. He is the first Slovenian to achieve such a feat and is the youngest winner of the Big loop since 116 years, and the victory of Henri Cornet in 1904. At the end of his incredible first Tour de France, Tadej Pogačar ends his season with an honorable third place on Liège-Bastogne-Liège, hampered by the brand new world champion Julian Alaphilippe in the sprint.
2021 : the Pogacar year.
After a season 2020 outstanding, marked by an unexpected triumph during the Tour de France, Tadej Pogačar was eager to prove that in 2021, he was definitely the best grand tour rider on the planet. The Slovenian will complete a season 2021 mind-blowing in every way:
He wins first l’UAE Tour, with a step Jabeel Hafeet, and Tirreno Adriatico, by winning the queen stage leading to Tivo meadows. Slovenian, not happy to have become the best stage runner in the world, is now an all-rounder, capable of shining on almost any type of terrain.
He is indeed a monstrous climber, but also an excellent roller, able to win in front of specialists on favorable courses for him. He is an excellent puncher, able to follow the attacks of Julian Alaphilippe or Primoz Roglic, but also a remarkable sprinter, with an exceptional burst of speed for his physique.
It is with his qualities as a puncher and sprinter that he won Liège-Bastogne-Liège in 2021, by winning the French world champion in the sprint. It is also with his incredible qualities as a climber and rider that he brilliantly retained his title of winner of the Big loop in July 2021. During this Tour de France marked by many falls during the first stages in Brittany, including in particular those of Primoz Roglic who subsequently abandoned, the Slovenian will easily dominate his opponents.
In the Alps, with difficult conditions that suit him better than the other favorites, Tadej Pogačar will literally crush the competition. During the 8th stage of Tour de France, the Slovenian will attack from the slopes of Romme pass, where no one could follow him. He continues his recital in the Col de la Colombiere and finished 4th in the stage, with a sickening lead of 3 minutes and 20 seconds (!!) on other favorites.
He also wins 3 steps, including the Laval time trial, and the Pyrenean stages, displaying his superiority over other runners. Finally, Tadej Pogačar ends his year in the best way, winning with panache the Tour of Lombardy, escaping from the leading group in the Ganda pass, and easily beating Fausto Masnada of the Deceuninck Quick-Step in the sprint. In short, he will have completed a season 2021 The Jumbo-Visma team, characterized by 13 victories, and an first place at l’UCI World Ranking, with a total of 5363 points from 26 October 2021.
This ranking highlights a reality: Tadej Pogačar was the best runner in the world in 2021. Yes, the best, one of the most complete, one of the best climbers in the world, one of the best riders, one of the best punchers, and an incredible sprinter for his size. Above all, he is the one who is always present in the most crucial moments of a season.. We have seen it in particular in 2021, by winning 2 monuments and the Tour de France.
The year 2022 : the hat-trick for Tadej Pogacar ?
2022 will be another ambitious year for Tadej Pogačar. Indeed, the Slovenian's main goals will be the Italian classics in March, Ardennes classics at the end of April, whose feat he wishes to repeat again at Liège, The Tour of Lombardy. Slovenian will mainly aim, will mainly aim, the Tour de France, will mainly aim.
will mainly aim 2021, will mainly aim Tour of Spain will mainly aim: will mainly aim will mainly aim will mainly aim, will mainly aim. will mainly aim, will mainly aim 15The Tour of the Pays de Vaud will mainly aim Tour of Flanders in 2018. will mainly aim, it might surprise more than one:
Matteo Trentin, during an interview with Cycling Weekly
Slovenian, having made a good winter preparation, even if disrupted by covid-19 at the end of January, will begin its season on the occasion of l’UAE Tour, today. He will obviously be the leader of the Emirati team, with his new teammate Joao Almeida, in provenance of the Deceuninck Quick Step, and Rafal Majka.
In 2022, Tadej Pogačar wants to repeat the stratospheric season he made in 2021 and mark a little more the history of his sport. He obviously wants to achieve the hat-trick during the Tour de France 2022, a feat whose last to have achieved it was Christopher Froome, of 2015 at 2017. In the face of growing adversity, represented in particular by a concentrated and frustrated Primoz Roglic from his previous disappointments on the Grande Boucle, will Tadej Pogačar be the yellow jersey holder again on 24 July 2022, on the Champs-Elysées? Only the future will tell.
