Tadej Pogacar will try to join an elite group of cyclists to win the Tour de France three times when the world's most famous race gets under way in Bilbao, Spain on July 1.
The UAE Team Emirates rider took time out of his busy schedule to give an update on the wrist injury he suffered in April's Liege-Bastogne-Liege cycling classic that threatened his participation for this year's Tour as well as looking back on his past success in 2020 and 2021.
Tadej, first and foremost, what an incredible 2023 you’ve had so far. How would you sum it up?
All thing considered it’s been a really good year so far. If you told me before the year started that I would achieve and win what I have so far, I’d have been really happy.
Thinking back to those Belgian Classics, you looked unstoppable. What was it like racing in those famous one-day races and performing so well?
The day I won in Flanders was up there as one of my best days on a bike, if not the best. My form was good, the team was exceptional and everything just clicked on the day. The history of the race and the passion for cycling in Flanders made it extra special.
Do any of the classics stand out in particular as the most memorable?
They were all special in their own way but it’s true that Flanders was a big target from the start of the year. The way that race panned out, and the job the team did to me in position to launch my attacks, it was amazing.
Looking ahead to the biggest event on the racing calendar, the Tour De France, how excited are you to lead the charge for the team once again?
Pretty excited. It’s been an unconventional preparation we can say with the wrist injury, but it’s been really good overall. We’ve just finished off an altitude camp in Sierra Nevada, Spain and now we’re heading to do some Tour recons and then back to altitude. It’s intense preparation but that’s what it takes, I guess. I’m enjoying the process.
How would you sum up the experience in France last year?
It’s true we had a lot of bad luck in the team with Covid but overall we won a few stages and finished second so it was still a pretty good Tour. The atmosphere in the team was still very good given the circumstances. Obviously, we went in to win it and there was a bit of disappointment, but that’s all part of sport.
Are there any stages in this year’s race that you’re particularly looking forward to?
We’re straight into the action from Stage 1 as the roads in the Basque Country are infamously tough. There is a huge cycling culture there in the north of Spain, too, so the fans will be out in force. From there we’ll take it day by day but for sure we will see some fireworks in the Alps as usual.
How is the wrist injury and what sort of shape are you in going into the start of the race?
Actually you could say it happened at a perfect time. Naturally I didn’t want it to happen like that, but I was due a long break and I guess the injury just forced me to rest a bit more. I was back on the indoor trainer a week after the crash. That way I could hold my fitness a bit and I also was doing rehab on the wrist and some running, core work, etc. I’ve already been back on the road for a few weeks now and feeling pretty good. It shouldn’t hinder me too much for the Tour, I think.
If you had to pick your single favourite moment when racing in the Tour de France throughout your career, what would it be?
That’s a hard one to say. The first Tour stage victory in 2020 was amazing. It was such a huge moment. To win the race overall that same year was good but a bit surreal. In 2021 when I won, I had more time for it to sink in. But every day on the Tour is special.
How confident are you in the team around you that you’ll go on to join the illustrious group of riders to win the Tour de France three times?
When you want to win a race, you have to trust the guys around you 100 per cent. We have a great team and understand each other well. There will also be strong competitors so it won’t be straightforward, but we’ll give it a good crack.
It's been such a strong season for the team up to this point. It seems like the togetherness and unity in the group is as positive as it’s ever been. What do you put that down to?
It’s hard to say for sure but I think we have a nice balance of personalities and characters in the team. When you spend so many days on the road and away from home it’s crucial to have a good group and ambiance. It makes the time away but easier.
How important and special is the support of fans in the UAE throughout a race like the Tour de France?
Every time we come back to the UAE we are blown away by the growth in cycling there. It’s nice to think that we are playing a small part in that growth and it’s a special feeling to be part of it. Hopefully we can do everybody proud in the Tour de France.
