Interview after World Cup victory: Tadej Pogačar: "You do have some doubts at the end"
Tom Mustroph
· 25.11.2025
Tadej Pogačar is beaming with happiness, but the effort is clear to see: In Rwanda, he defends his world championship title with an impressive solo ride. After the race, he describes the course, the challenges he had to overcome and his opinion on the performance of unlucky rider Remco Evenepoel.
Interview with Tadej Pogačar
Recorded by Tom Mustroph
Tadej Pogačar: When I arrived, I trained for two days just on the time trial bike and then the race came. I never really found my rhythm. But on Sunday after the time trial I switched to the road. And everything felt good. My legs started to turn really well again and I was able to adapt to the surroundings.
TOUR: How different was it for you in Africa?
Tadej Pogačar: The situation here was different to what I was used to. But different in a good way, and I have to say that I enjoyed the whole stay here. I was able to do some really good training rides. And I also noticed that as soon as we got out of the city, the air immediately got better.
TOUR: How did you experience the conditions in the race?
Tadej Pogačar: Above all, it was super hot. The sun was blazing the whole time. But it was a great day with a great result. To now have the jersey again is just great. It also helped that my national team colleagues were simply outstanding. We had planned to take the race into our own hands and we did just that. However, the race was one of the toughest I've ever ridden.
TOUR: Before the race, you said that Mt. Kigali would actually come a little too early in the race. Was it still your plan to attack there?
Tadej Pogačar: Yes, the course was designed in such a way that it invited us to do some damage right there. I had also hoped that it would be the decisive situation when the three of us set off there. With Juan and Isaac (Juan Ayuso and Isaac del Toro, both part of the UAE Emirates World Tour team like Pogačar, editor's note) it was also a perfect combination. Because you should ride a distance like that together for as long as possible. But then it fell apart pretty quickly and I had to ride alone. That was quite a challenge.
TOUR: You spoke to Isaac del Toro on the road. What was it about? He almost stood still in between, but then came back to you?
Tadej Pogačar: I think he had stomach problems. I just didn't want him to fall back. Because it's always better to ride with someone. That's why I wanted to encourage him to ride longer.
TOUR: Is this victory here now more important than the one at the World Championships last year?
Tadej Pogačar: I don't know. Both are special. Last year was the first time, which is special. But defending the title is one of the hardest things to do. Then there was the long journey and all the preparations that were necessary. Yes, this time is also special.
TOUR: Many riders suffered from stomach problems. How were you in that respect?
Tadej Pogačar: We had our cook from the UAE team with us. That certainly helped. I ate normally during the race itself. That's also a tough aspect of this sport, that you always have to eat the same thing. Especially in a race like this, you burn so much energy and you have to be prepared to replenish it well.
TOUR: How did you experience the fans in Rwanda? Did you feel supported?
Tadej Pogačar: Yes, the fans were great. We had a lot of support throughout the day, which was great. And I'm very happy about that too.
TOUR: After the Tour de France, you said you were pretty exhausted. How did you manage to get back into competition mode? Did you put the bike away completely for a while after the Tour?
Tadej Pogačar: I think everyone was tired after the tour, not just me. But you can't just put the bike in the corner. If you take a break for a fortnight and just go on holiday, you lose a lot of your form. One week might still work. But then you have to train again and prepare for the races.
TOUR: After the world championship time trial, you said that you would be satisfied if the new world champion Remco Evenepoel, who had overtaken you in the race, would only compete in the road race with 99 per cent of his form. Now he was restricted in a different way and had to change bikes twice. Did you notice that on the road?
Tadej Pogačar: I only got the information late, when I was back on the circuit. Then I was told: He's in the group. Later: He's not in the group. Then again: He's in the first chasing group. But I didn't know exactly what was going on. We didn't have a radio like in the other races. You don't have much information. So you concentrate on the gaps, on how many riders are behind you, who is riding there. Later I saw his two wheel changes. He also drove a pretty impressive race.
TOUR: Were there any moments during your solo journey when you doubted that you could manage this task?
Tadej Pogačar: Definitely! The climbs got tougher from lap to lap. And the descents weren't as fast either. You still had to pedal quite a lot. And at the end you start to doubt a bit. But you have no choice but to keep pedalling and hope for the best.
TOUR: People who know you well say that there are two Tadejs: the one who is very calm and very relaxed when he's not on the bike. But when you get on the bike, especially in competitions, you completely change your character, your approach. Is that true, do you notice this change in yourself?
Tadej Pogačar: I think more than half of the peloton is like that. A person without a bike is suddenly a completely different person when a race starts. It's also what we have to do in cycling. The adrenaline pumps through your body, everything becomes a little different, and so do you. Off the bike, however, I'm a completely normal guy.
TOUR: After this long season, how great is your desire to have some time for yourself again?
Tadej Pogačar: I'm already looking towards the end of the season. During the season, it's hard to get some rest and I started early with the UAE Tour. There are always important races that I have. It's not easy to find time together with Urška (Žigart, his partner and also a professional cyclist, editor's note), as she has her own racing calendar. That's why I'm really looking forward to the end of the season and having a really good time at home.
