Pogacar on future - 'I’ve started counting the years until retirement'
Speaking ahead of his appearance at a night criterium in Komenda, Tadej Pogačar reflected on his Tour de France triumph, offered a glimpse into his future, and outlined his plans for the remainder of the season.
In July, he claimed his fourth victory at the Tour de France, reinforcing his place among cycling’s greats. Straight after the race, he travelled to his home in Monaco. This weekend, though, he is truly back home in Slovenia. “I’m happy to see friends, neighbours, family. It’s true that sometimes I wish I was a little less famous. Taking photos and signing autographs can be tiring at times, sometimes less so, but I try to please everyone,” he said to rtvslo.
The rest, he said, has been restorative. “Everyone can have a bad day. You can’t expect me to be smiling through all 21 stages. This Tour was one of the hardest I’ve ridden, as anyone fighting for the general classification would confirm. But I’ve rested, reset, and I’m ready for new battles.”
While the idea of retirement occasionally crosses his mind, it is far from imminent. “I’ve started counting the years until retirement. I began winning early, so I know there can also be seasons with fewer results. But I will probably ride a few more Tours, it’s the biggest race and I doubt the team will leave me out for years to come.”
After skipping the Vuelta, Pogačar will return to competition in Canada at the GP Québec and GP Montreal. “Montreal suits me more, but I’ll try to win in Quebec too. The course is now easier, but the finish is harder, so we’ll give it a go. If not me, we have riders like Jhonatan Narváez who could target it.”
Pogačar’s calendar will also include two national team appearances, the World Championships and most likely the European Championships in France. “From what we know, it’s a climbers’ course, so I’ll probably be there. It’s similar to a spring race Juan Ayuso won this year. But it probably means I won’t be able to ride any Italian classics except Lombardia.”
He will keep an eye on the Vuelta as the race unfolds. “It’s hard to say if João Almeida or Ayuso can beat Jonas Vingegaard. Without his crash at the Tour de France, Almeida certainly could have,” Pogačar said, leaving the question to be answered on the roads of Spain.
