Tadej Pogacar admits desire to race in all events 'may cost him' at Tour de France but won't change tactic
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Updated 02/11/2023 at 20:03 GMT
It was an up and down 2023 for Tadej Pogacar, who recently claimed victory at Il Lombardia in October. After fracturing his wrist at Liege-Bastogne-Liege, Pogacar had to race back to full fitness to race in the Tour de France, ultimately coming second in the race. He has since admitted that his desire to race in a variety of events throughout the season may cost him at the Grand Tour.
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Tadej Pogacar admits that his desire to race in a variety of events throughout the season may cost him when it comes to his performance at the Tour de France.
The UAE Team Emirates rider, who won the Tour in 2020 and 2021, also added that his ambition is to win the Giro d’Italia, Vuelta a Espana and World Championship before he eventually retires.
Pogacar, who has raced in 19 events this year, had to fight hard to return to full fitness in time for the Tour, after breaking his wrist at the Liege-Bastogne-Liege, an injury that may have cost him the yellow jersey, with Jonas Vingegaard claiming his second Tour de France title.
The 25-year-old claimed this third successive victory at Il Lombardia in October, but added that he enjoys racing in different events throughout the year while adding that he feels he has plenty to give all season round.
“The Tour is the most important race in cycling. Nothing compares to it. For the sponsors they just want to win the Tour," he said in an interview with
.
“Everybody knows it in the whole world, even in non cycling. Other races cannot compare to the Tour.
“Maybe it costs me that I prepare for the Flanders and the Ardennes and Lombardia in the end, and all these kind of races. It’s not ideal but it’s what I like - to race different challenges throughout the year.
“For me, it’s hard to focus just on July because I know I can be good during the first part of the season and also the last part.
“It’s hard to just focus on the middle part of the season where I know that I don’t like it the most.”
The Slovenian rider is one of the most decorated cyclists in the peloton, having also won twice at Tirreno-Adriatico and on the UAE Tour.
He also won the Tour of Flanders earlier this year, as well as the Amstel Gold Race, National Road Race Championships and La Fleche Wallonne, but admits there are three more races he wants to win before he hangs up his cleats.
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“From now, after my career, I would like to be world champion as well,” he said. “I won a lot of races, big ones, I won more or less all the Monuments that I can win, the Tour de France two times.
“There are three things left for me - the Giro, Vuelta and World Championships. It’s a dream and a challenge. We’ll see in 10 years what’s going to be.”
Despite not claiming victory at the Tour de France this year, Pogacar said that he felt he was still improving and has a lot to learn.
“I think I’m getting better every year a little bit just based on my feeling, my numbers and I’m more experienced,” he said.
“Everything adds up a little bit to be a little bit better. But like this year your body can just turn against you and there’s not much you can do and when that time comes it’s already over.
“There’s still a lot of experience to gain through the next years, for sure. But I can see that slowly it’s getting more tough to improve myself.
“When I came to the WorldTour, every year and every race I was feeling better and growing and improving.
“But now it’s like you need to find small details to improve something. It’s not coming by itself - it’s hard work for little improvements.”
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