‘I still don’t chase anything’ - Tadej Pogacar on records, fame and trying to stay normal

In a wide-ranging interview with RSI Sport, Pogačar opened up on his relationship with fame, his approach to defeat, the role of his teammates, and the difficulty of finding a quiet moment in the modern professional peloton.

The Slovenian took another victory after success at the Tour de Romandie last weekend, taking four stages and the overall title in the process. With his sixth win in eight race days in 2026, Pogačar has remained insistent throughout the season that the records and the historic comparisons mean less to him than the people often making them.

"I always think of myself as a normal person," Pogačar said. "When I'm out on the bike, I do normal things, like everybody. Cook yourself dinner, lunch, clean the apartment, do paperwork, go to the supermarket, wash the bike, wash the car, whatever. I consider myself as a normal guy. But then, of course, I'm also kind of grateful that people say that I'm special. But that's just on the bike."

Pogačar admitted that the constant focus on records and history has begun to seep into his thinking, although he refuses to chase them.

"When you hear this every interview, every press conference, every mixed zone, they talk about records, history, and it becomes a little bit subconscious in your mind. But I still don't chase anything. I just want to live in the moment and enjoy what I have now and see where the road goes. If I break some records, I break some records. If not, it doesn't matter. I will not obsess myself over anything."

Despite the demands of professional life, the Slovenian conceded that finding genuine peace has become harder, with the modern world's pace eating into the rare moments he gets at home.

"Less and less, because the modern world is so fast and so quick and everything is so accessible," Pogačar said when asked about his relationship with silence. "Everybody needs you in the moment and everything needs to be done in a second. The most peace I find when I'm home with Urška in Monaco, where we can stay really relaxed and sometimes do nothing. It's really important to find these kinds of days."

That perspective has shaped how the world champion thinks about defeat, with Pogačar revealing that disappointment never quite turns into anger.

"The thing that irritates me most is if I cannot show my best version of myself, but it doesn't happen very often," he said. "I always push myself to the limit, try my best, so I'm always kind of happy even if I lose. If I show that I give everything, then I'm always satisfied and happy. You can be disappointed, but never really angry."

The Slovenian was also keen to use the platform to recognise his teammates, with Pogačar suggesting cycling should rethink the way it celebrates collective effort.

"This sport is as big as a team, and if one part of the team is not okay, then it's so much more difficult to achieve the goal," the Slovenian said. 

"I always feel kind of bad for the teammates, because then it's just one guy on the podium. But the work the guys do, for example, in Liège, they work much harder for longer than, for example, me, that I just deliver the victory. Maybe in the future I'll realise that it's a more important team, and we will see, after the finish, all the team together on the podium. That would be a good move."

Looking ahead, Pogačar singled out Decathlon CMA CGM's Paul Seixas as a rival who has begun to push him in a way few others can.

"It was a good sensation riding against Paul," Pogačar said of the duel with the 19-year-old at Liége-Bastogne-Liége. "I was afraid that I would be like, okay, he's on my wheel, I give up or whatever, but he pushed me more, because I think he's a good kid, very mature for his age, and he's really racing with his heart, with no bullshit. He gave me a bit more push for the future."

For all the focus on rivals and records, Pogačar's interview returned again to the quieter parts of his life. The world champion's foundation, which supports cancer research and education scholarships, is something the Slovenian said he sees as a longer-term project beyond his racing career.

"It's very important to me," Pogačar said of the foundation. "Maybe something that I can work on after my career even more, to get even more involved. It's amazing to see how happy the students are when we give the scholarship to them for education, and how grateful they can be. I have a pretty good set of life, I would say, and because now I have the opportunity to help others, I really like to do it."