Thank you at home in Slovenia on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the Rog Cycling Association and the Evening of the Stars last Monday. Tadej Pogacar was voted best Slovenian cyclist of the year for the 5th year in a row. “There have been so many great victories, and in the biggest races, that I can't choose just one, but the victory at the world championships with the national team is a little more important than the others” recognized the road world champion during a press briefing with Slovenian journalists at the end of the ceremony. So in 2025, what is planned Pogacarwhat will be his program, which victory will be the most difficult to defend and will he finally try his luck on Paris-Roubaix ? Answer… in Slovenian from Tadej Pogacar but we have of course translated the passages to remember for you!
Video – Tadej Pogacar in Slovenia… and in Slovenian!
“Paris-Roubaix in 2025? Not yet but you never know…”
In view of the overwhelming domination of Tadej Pogacar for the 2024 season, many riders and teams are waiting and carefully scrutinizing the future calendar of the world champion for 2025! “I have already defended my victory in quite a few races. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't, and it won't be any different next year. Perhaps only the World Championships in September in Rwanda will stand out, because it is a specific race and because it has not happened often in the past that someone wins again. Some have succeeded, but only the most special runners make it. Worlds will probably be the hardest race to win, but I'll be even happier to go there and do races where I haven't won yet and to try to get the victory there.“
Among the races he has never won or even contested is Paris-Roubaixand we know that the Slovenian, always so eager for challenges, plans to one day line up at the start of the Hell of the North to try to enrich his immense prize list and enter a little further into the history of his sport. From there to seeing it on the 122nd edition of the French Monument next year? A step that he doesn't yet seem ready to take… even if he doesn't completely close the door either. “Paris-Roubaix? Not yet. But you never know…“
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“I don’t want to think about the Tour de France yet…”
“I still have a few official events ahead of me, but then I will slowly move on to preparations for the first of December with the team in warmer locations in Alicante in Spain where we will start serious training. If the form is good for such a competition, my program can also be adjusted during the season“, continued Pogacar. “However, I don't see myself making my debut yet. Then I have more chances to compete in the Vuelta a España next year“, slipped the best rider in the world. At 26 years old and with already 88 victories on the clock, the star ofUAE Team Emirates already doesn't have many boxes to check to complete its list of achievements, only Milan-San Remo, Paris-Roubaix and the Tour of Spain still missing among the Grand Tours and Monuments.
One thing is sure, Tadej Pogacar clearly plans to one day tame the cobbles of the Hell of the North, and he will be ready to make the necessary efforts to raise his arms on the Roubaix velodrome. “I competed in this competition once as a junior and I can't imagine how difficult it must be as an elite. You feel a completely different pain. The suffering on the cobblestones is really painful. If you climb on cobblestones, it's different. To win this competition, I also have to gain a few kilos. This is going to be difficult. At the moment I think I'm still too light“.
As for the Tour de France 2025 ? “I don't want to think about it yet, confessed Pogacar. I saw that Jonas Vingegaard would already be in full preparation for next season. I focus more on myself. I know my opponents are training and want to be better than in previous years, but I have the same thing in mind. I hope I will be at least as good as this year. The Tour de France is the biggest race in the world, I also like the classics, the one-day races. The Monuments and the World Championships are really the best races for me. There's no need to worry about next year.“
