Tadej’s hometown turned into the cycling center of the world this weekend. Klanec pri Komendi has been celebrating his historic fifth Tour victory for three days, and last night Tadej received a true champion’s welcome. First, he lined up with his cycling friends for the 8th Tadej Pogačar Criterium.
In the company of Isaac del Toro, Felix Großschartner, Tim Wellens (all UAE Team Emirates – XRG), Luka Mezgec, Pascal Ackermann (both Jayco Alula), Matej Mohorič (Bahrain Victorious), Rui Costa, Mikkel Honoré (both EF Education Easy Post), Ryan Gibbons (Lidl Trek), Matteo Trentin (Tudor), Matic Žumer (Arbö Kärnten), Jaka Primožič (Hrinkow Advarics), Tilen Finkšt (Solution Tech Nippo), Erazem Valjavec (Soudal Quick Step Devo) and others, he celebrated victory for the second year in a row. On the 980-meter circuit, which the riders had to complete 35 times, he collected 22 points and beat Trentin (13) and Mezgec (13).
»I’ve won the last two criteriums and I’m very happy. But I’m happiest about the people who came to have fun, and also about friends and rivals from the peloton. I’m grateful to everyone who came—there were loads of fans along the route, and they gave us energy,« Tadej said on the big stage, where they also organized a reception for him after his victory at the Tour de France.
»On Alpe d’Huez the atmosphere was, as expected, insanely wild, but I’d say that here it’s better,« Tadej thanked his fellow locals and fans. They came not only from all over Slovenia, but also from elsewhere. After they were able to greet the best cyclist in the world, they could also enjoy a concert by Magnifico.
Friday’s criterium was part of the three-day Pogi Challenge, which continues today with a family day, and will end tomorrow with the race S Klanca na klanc, in which Tadej will take on the climb to Krvavec against 1,177 participants. Tadej has already allocated 100,000 euros in aid to the locals, who were hit by a severe storm on June 10 that damaged many houses and buildings. Like the Tadej Pogačar Foundation, which helps young people who are fighting cancer or have overcome it, the affected residents of Komenda will also receive part of the proceeds from the Pogi Challenge and the auction of Tadej’s items. Among them was the always highly sought-after lion, which Tadej receives every time he dons the yellow jersey at the Tour.
»Last year we already put the lion up for auction and it worked out well. I hope I’ll get more of them in the future. Back in 2020, many people wanted the very first one, but at the time it was the one and only. During the Tour, the lions are at the front of the bus; after the race they don’t all go into the luggage, but go to the team headquarters in Milan. Someone makes a sacrifice and brings all the things from the Tour to Slovenia, then they get dispersed, they go up in the air. I don’t have a place where I could store everything; my parents’ house suffers the most with all the jerseys and other small items that have piled up. I need to settle down and find a place to store the beautiful memories,« Tadej said about his rich race haul of trophies and souvenirs from the biggest races.
At the press conference, he still did not reveal whether he will race the Vuelta this year, which will start on August 22 in Monte Carlo. He will most likely do so on Monday, while this weekend is meant for celebrating the extraordinary achievements at the Tour, through which Tadej is also giving back to the community where he grew up.
»With the Pogi Team, we started preparing the Tadej Pogačar Grand Prix in 2019; since then it has been the best criterium in Slovenia. Over the past two years we’ve raised it to an international level—we’re building Slovenian cycling, taking it to a higher level. These two events go well together hand in hand; my calendar doesn’t allow more than one weekend,« Tadej said about combining the criterium and the race up Krvavec, which they held separately last year in July and October.
»If I didn’t have obligations this weekend, I’d do an easier bike ride on Saturday and Sunday; I wouldn’t think about dieting. You have to switch off, reset—you need at least a week to get back down to earth. In France I’m in a bubble for a month, racing full gas every day; before that there’s another month of preparations—when I come home, it’s a bit of a shock,« Tadej admitted that after big feats, he too needs rest.
Nevertheless, he showed his guests part of Slovenia by bike, including the roads where the European Championship will take place in October. »With the guys, we rode our bikes from Cerklje to Ljubljana for coffee, then did another loop where the European Championship course will run, with the climb to Možjanca. We did a nice training session; the course will be demanding. I didn’t have much say about the loop—everyone thinks it’s best if it’s hard. I would never have chosen Možjanca myself because the road wasn’t fully paved, but they fixed that. I rode the entire loop for the first time; the climb is demanding and the descent technical. A quality cyclist will win the European Championship,« Tadej said about viewing the course.
He also spoke about his fiancée Urška Žigart. Although a month and a half ago she had a nasty crash at the Tour de Suisse and broke her jaw, today she is at the start of the women’s Tour with her team AG Insurance Soudal. »In December she didn’t intend to ride the Tour, but she put in a top-class performance at the Giro and the Vuelta, and the team saw how much it means to them that she’s part of the best lineup. They also decided on the Tour, then the crash in Switzerland happened and the jaw fracture. The team supported her well. After such a serious crash, doubts can still arise; the team can say, just in case, you’re not going to the Tour. But Urška recovered exceptionally quickly and started training again before the doctors advised her to. For the Tour she is in top form. But she is part of the team going for the yellow jersey with Kim Le Court-Pienaar, she has no side ambitions,« Tadej said about Urška’s quick return to racing.
Tomorrow Tadej faces the second Pogi Challenge from Klanc to Krvavec. Last year, on the 15.13-kilometer climb with an average gradient of 7.9 percent, he gave the participants about a seven-minute head start before launching into the chase. He caught everyone except Briton Andrew Feather, who will also be at the start this time. It will be interesting to see whether anyone will again ride to Plaža ahead of Tadej; cyclists from 28 countries have signed up.
After the race, participants will descend to Komenda, where the three-day event will conclude with a rich music program—Deejaytime will entertain those gathered, and they are also preparing a special surprise for Tadej. One of the highlights of the day will also be Tadej’s descent from Krvavec. He will be brought by helicopter by the best ski jumper in the world, Domen Prevc.