Cycling. Road – Tadej Pogacar: “My program for 2025? There's nothing crazy about it…”

Giro or Vuelta in 2nd Grand Tour?

If we will see the world champion on numerous classics in the spring, with tempting clashes looming in Italy and Belgium, we will however have to wait a little longer before seeing him try his hand at Paris-Roubaixthe French event not being part of this 2025 program. After defending his title on The Dean of Classics, Tadej Pogacar will then go into preparation mode for the Tour de France (July 5-27), with several possible options still to be defined. The Slovenian is particularly awaiting the courses of The Return a you Tour of Italy – whose presentation has been postponed to January 13 – to choose which second Grand Tour will be added to its calendar.

“What is certain is that he will not do the three Grand Tours next year.”emphasized rebel. If he opts for the Spanish race and gives up his title on the Girohis only preparatory race for the Large Loop could then be the Critérium du Dauphiné (June 8-15), for what would only be his second participation in the French race, after 2020. Pogacar must also defend his title at World Championships in September in Rwanda, on a very demanding course in Kigali. He should then end his season on October 11 at Tour of Lombardylast Monument of the year, where he will aim for a fifth consecutive success.

“If I'm a little less good…”

Also present at a press conference after his manager, Tadej Pogacar returned to this calendar on very dense paper in the spring. “My program is not crazy“, he nevertheless analyzed. “I had a great offseason, I was able to cut. Until this camp with UAE, we took a vacation with Urska (Zigart, his fiancée). I start like previous years with the UAE Tour, then probably a few Italian classics, Milan-San Remo will be the first big objective, I get closer each year. Then the Belgian classics, with the pavements and the Ardennaises. And then we will start preparing for the Tour de France, the main goal of the season. The Tour is the main objective with the World Championships: it will make me very happy if I can defend these titles. I don't know yet if it's better to do the Giro or the Vuelta.”

If he left the door open to participation in Paris-Roubaix in 2025, this seems unlikely to materialize. “This is not the final decision, maybe I can still run Paris Roubaix… But otherwise I would still have the possibility of running it in other years“The fact remains that the world champion will have a hard time doing better than his 25 victories in the historic 2024 season, even if he considers that he can still progress. “I don't consider myself an old runner, I'm still young, I can still develop. After training this winter, maybe we'll see if I can do more. We'll see after the first race. But if I'm a little less good, it will still be OK! All runners try to improve until the end of their career, and when they can't anymore, maybe it's time to stop. I think you have to focus on all the details, on and off the bike: nutrition, sleep, technology… We look for perfection. You have to be consistent in all these areas” he said.

“Eddy Merckx? It’s always nice but I can’t compare myself with him”