'I don't see myself going on too long' - Pogacar hints at 2028 retirement date

Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) secured his fourth Tour de France title on Sunday after crossing the finish line in rainy Paris conditions, finishing 4th on a classics-style final stage won by Wout van Aert (Visma | Lease a Bike). 

"Yeah, just speechless, to win the fourth Tour de France, six years in a row on the podium, this one feels especially amazing, and I’m super proud I can wear this yellow jersey," Pogačar said to reporters after animating an explosive final stage in the yellow jersey which featured three ascents of the Montmartre climb.

It was on the second ascent of the Montmartre climb where Pogačar split the race up, forming an elite group of six riders before he was ultimately distanced by an incredibly strong Van Aert on the final ascent. The race organisers had made the call earlier in the day to neutralise the general classification times with 50.3km remaining due to adverse weather conditions. This decision allowed the majority of the GC riders to take the tricky circuit more carefully without taking risks, but not Pogačar, who raced freely in the yellow jersey, animating the race. 

"In the end, I found myself in the front, even though I really didn't have the energy to motivate myself to race today, but in the end, I was really happy they neutralised the times of the GC, then it was more relaxed to race, and you just had to have good legs and be in front, and I found myself in the front and tried to race, but hats off to Wout, he was incredibly strong and it was a really nice race in the end today," Pogacar explained.

When asked about the key moments that secured his victory in this year's race, Pogačar credited his UAE Team Emirates-XRG teammates and identified the second week as the decisive period in the race, where he dominated stage 12 to Hautacam, before producing an exceptional time trial to Peyragudes the following day. 

"This is a tough question, but I think it all started with how we rode as a team, we had a great atmosphere and team spirit, and we went fighting on day one and then after stage 5 and Mur du Bretagne [stage 7], I knew I had good legs to compete for the victory."

"Then we just kept on fighting, and then in the second week, I think it was the decisive moment, where we took the most advantage and we went more comfortably in the third week," Pogačar added.

Despite being head and shoulders above the rest in the general classification standings, Pogačar paid credit to his eternal rival, Jonas Vingegaard. The World Champion reflected on their rivalry with plenty of respect and acknowledged how they have improved each other over the years. 

"Yeah, we just talked after we started the stage, we talked in the neutral [zone] a bit about how much changed in the last five years of us racing against each other. We raised the level of one another much higher, and we pushed ourselves to the limit to try and beat each other," Pogačar said.

"I must say that battling against Jonas was once again a tough experience, but I must say to him respect and big, big congratulations for his fight, and incredible race," he gracefully added.

With the Tour now complete, Pogačar is looking forward to some well-earned rest before announcing his plans for the remainder of the season, including whether he will ride the Vuelta a España.

"Now it's time to celebrate, everybody thinks differently about how they want to celebrate, I want to celebrate with peace this week, and have nice weather, not like here now, and just to enjoy some quiet days at home," he said.

"Let's take one week easy now, I want to enjoy some summer days, we were training some much for heat adaptation and heat acclimatisation and in the end the Tour was not so hot, so I want some hot days now but without suffering on the bike, so let's take a week off and we'll see from then on."

Pogačar also gave an interesting comment to L'Equipe about his potential plans in the long-term future, "I don’t think I’ll stop right away, but I also don’t see myself going on for too long either. The Los Angeles Olympics are one of my goals, which are three years from now. After that, I might start thinking about retirement — we’ll see," said the Slovenian.

"But if I keep riding like this, with such a strong team and such great support around me... I’m not too concerned about my future. I’m just trying to enjoy the moment."

Regardless of what Pogačar decides to do in the immediate and long-term future, it's safe to say that 2025 has been another remarkably successful season for the trailblazer of the modern generation as he adds a fourth Tour de France to victories in Strade Bianche, Tour of Flanders, Flèche Wallonne and Liège-Bastogne-Liège among many others this season.