The cycling world champion and current winner of the Tour de France and Giro d’Italia, the Slovenian Tadej Pogacarhe said this Tuesday at Benidorm that their goals for next season are to revalidate the victories in the French round and the World Cup.
The rider of the UAE Team Emirates, who is conducting pre-season concentration with his team in the town of Alicante, did not dare to ensure that his last season was one of the best experienced by a cyclist in history, but he admitted that ” I’m sure it’s the best for me.”
“It’s probably the best of the decade, but I’m not the one to judge but for me it was amazing and I had a great time,” said the Slovenian, who revealed last year that all the pieces fit together from. the beginning to the end for that there will be “a perfect time.”
Pogacar, 26 years old, confirmed his presence in several classics in Italy and Belgium and does not rule out repeating the results achieved last year. “I’m still young, so there’s room to grow. But if it gets a little worse this new year, that’s fine too,” hinting that his ability to improve is in the “small details.”
“I can’t improve anymore. Training, nutrition, sleep… whatever it takes to be one hundred percent,” argued the runner, who professionally accepted having to share his rest time with countless commitments and events.
Pogacar also reflected on the convenience of having good mental health for athletes and defended the convenience of having a long-term contract “to just focus on cycling.” The Slovenian champion did not hide that he wants to try to compete and win three grand tours in one year, but he made it clear that it is not a “priority”.
Regarding his feelings about choosing between the Giro and the Vuelta, the cyclist said that any option combined with the Tour would be good.
“This year I discovered the feeling of competing in two major events. The important thing is to see how we are and plan training. And rest, rest and rest,” he reasoned. The cyclist, who did not exclude his presence in Paris- Roubaix, because he likes to compete on cobblestones, defended his ability to improvise on the bike and his attacks at long distances from the finish line.
“Cycling is one of the most free sports when it comes to tactics. Cycling is a very open race and I like that unpredictable part,” commented the World Champion, who admitted that his challenge was to win Milan-Sanremo.
“It’s a good ‘monument’, the longest race of the season,” added the Slovenian, who described as “flattering” the praise offered to him by Eddy Merckx a few months ago, who considered Pogacar to have surpassed him as a myth.
“I feel honored that he said those words, but I don’t see myself comparing myself to him,” said Pogacar, who revealed that the secret to success lies in his work. “I have a ritual and I focus on what I have to do, which is train,” he concluded.
YOUR 2025 CALENDAR
UAE Tour (February 17-23)
Strade Bianche (March 8)
Milan-San Remo (March 22)
E3 Saxo Classic (March 28)
Ghent-Wevelgem (March 30)
Tour of Flanders (April 6)
Amstel Gold Race (April 20)
Walloon Arrow (April 23)
Liège-Bastogne-Liège (April 27)
Giro d’Italia (May 9 to June 1) *To be confirmed
Tour de France (July 5 to 27)
Spain Tour (August 23 to September 14) *To be confirmed
Rwanda World Cups (September 21 to 28)
Il Lombardía (October 11) *To be confirmed
Source: La Verdad
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