Pogacar’s mechanic lifts lid on Strade Bianche crash - 'No room for panic'

At the heart of Pogačar’s incredible dominance in cycling is a core team around the Slovenian sensation, including Boštjan Kavčnik, with trust a key element for a successful relationship between rider and mechanic.

“The bike is the only weapon a cyclist has,” Kavčnik said in an interview with Siol.net. “If this does not work flawlessly, everything is at risk, from the result to health. And in such a sport, even the smallest mistake can mean a serious accident.”

Crashes are an unavoidable part of cycling, and Kavčnik has been there for some of the most significant of Pogačar’s career. The world champion’s crash at Strade Bianche in March stands out in particular, but even this couldn’t derail a rampant Pogačar from roaring to victory with Kavčnik detailing the reasons why.

“We were in the car near him, but not right behind him. When we saw that he had fallen, there was no room for panic. The procedure is clear: you wait for the car to stop, and only then can you react,” explained Kavčnik.

Kavčnik highlighted how the crash could have been a lot worse. "First of all, it should be pointed out that he fell really well, even if that sounds strange,” said Kavčnik. “He was also lucky: on the part of the road where he fell, there was no curb, no pavement, no precipice. He literally slid along the surface and landed in thorns. I remember Urška [Žigart] picking them out of his skin for a couple of days.”

The mechanic reflected on the emotional difference between Pogačar and other riders when things go wrong and the importance of composure. “It's true, I saw Cavendish with my own eyes at the Tour of Slovenia, how he threw his bike to the ground when he abandoned… Moments like this say a lot about an individual's character.”

“Tadej is the complete opposite… he’s one of the calmer ones. In moments like these, it's very important to keep a calm head and realise that you have a person by your side who will do everything that is necessary for you.”

The incident in the eyes of Kavčnik highlights another aspect that separates the world champion from most, his bike-handling skills and his sense of riding.

“Some come from a route inspection with their bike in such a state that you wonder if they really looked for every puddle on purpose," he joked. "While others return with a flawless bike, as if it hadn't even touched the road.”

One crash that Pogačar didn’t get away with was at Liège-Bastogne-Liège in 2023, where the Slovenian crashed out before the television coverage had even started. Whilst Kavčnik explained that the crash at Strade Bianche was the Slovenian’s own doing, the incident at Liège was a moment of bad luck.

“I still remember the scene when he was lying on the ground, gasping for breath, and you could already see on his face that the blow was severe… When he took his helmet off, I knew it was over,” said Kavčnik.

Though the mechanic noted Pogačar's initial determination to continue. “He got into the ambulance, I put away his bike and helmet, and then he came back and asked me: "Where's my bike? … He rode for another kilometre, then had to admit that it wouldn’t work.”

Kavčnik was also struck by the way that immediately after the crash, Pogačar’s concern was for his team and the race ahead, showing selflessness, despite his pedigree as a prolific champion. 

“He told the team over the radio to continue the race and follow Remco Evenepoel. He said the race was over for him, but now Marc Hirschi should be the one to try to get a result. Even with his injury, he was thinking about the team and how to keep them in the race.”