Tadej Pogacar on 'incredible' season so far, winning the Dauphine and his Tour de France hopes
The UAE Team Emirates-XRG rider has been in relentless form this season having sealed victories at the UAE Tour, La Fleche Wallone, Strade Bianche, Liege-Bastogne-Liege, Tour of Flanders and the Criterium du Dauphine.
The latter title was particularly satisfying for Pogacar who won the race for the first time having held off the challenge of great rival Jonas Vingegaard on his way to victory.
The 26-year-old Slovenian heads to Le Tour start line in Lille on Saturday knowing that overall victory will take him level with British rider Chris Froome for race wins – with record-holding five-time victors Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault and Miguel Indurain firmly in his sights.
And French legend Hinault is confident the record is there for Pogacar's taking. 'I think that Pogacar will really leave his mark on cycling for a few years to come,' the 70-year-old told AFP this week.
'He is perhaps the only one who will be able to beat the record. He is only 26 years old. When you look at the list of victories he's already won, he's well on schedule.
'He's already won three Tours de France, the Giro d'Italia, the world championship title, the classics … He's a complete rider.'
Ahead of Saturday's Grand Depart, Pogacar speaks to The National about his season so far and his hopes for the upcoming race.
Q: You've had a mightily impressive start to the 2025 season. Now you've had a bit of time to reflect, how do view your efforts so far?
A: It's been an incredible start to the season, one that I will remember for a long time. Starting in the UAE, in front of our incredible fans, all the way through to the recent win at the Dauphine. I feel extremely happy. Chapeaux to the team, without them, I would not have been able to get these amazing results.
Q: Your win at the Dauphine was particularly dominant, three stage wins and the overall title. How much confidence does that give you heading into this year's Tour de France?
A: I arrived at the Dauphine wanting to continue my preparations for the Tour de France, but of course, I wanted to win as well. On Stage 1, Jonas attacked me, and it was painful, but I managed to recover and take an amazing win.
The real test came at the end of the week, and I want to say a huge thank you to my teammates, their support made my job easier, and my legs felt good all week. So in the end, it was a perfect preparation for what's to come.
Q: The team gathered for a pre-Tour training camp at Isola 2000. How important was that time together, and how is the mood within the team ahead of the big race?
A: Training camp with the team is always important, it gave us time to focus and put in some good training on the bike, but also to spend time together and really build that team spirit.
Of course, we were missing some riders, like Joao [Almeida], but it is also great to see him riding so well and taking so many wins. We know we have a big challenge ahead of us, but everyone is really focused, and the vibes are high.
Q: With another challenging Tour course on the horizon, are there any particular stages you've identified as crucial for the team's overall ambitions?
A: As a team, we are focused on the overall goal – winning the Tour de France. The Tour is a race where every second counts and staying alert throughout every second is extremely important.
Of course, there is a focus on all the mountain stages, but as a team, we are confident in our legs and our ability to put in good performances. I can't wait to get going.
Q: You're chasing your fourth Tour de France title. what does this race mean to you, and how does it feel to have experienced so much success here?
A: Winning the Tour once is absolutely amazing, but winning it for a third time, in the way we did it last season, was unreal. The Tour means a lot to me, you're battling the best riders in the world for three weeks, it's relentless at times.
The whole world stops to watch the Tour, it motivates me a lot to put in good performances for the fans of our sport, crossing the line in the yellow jersey will always be one of the best moments of my career.
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