With the presentation of his 2025 bike, Tadej Pogacar is ready for the new season, knowing that he will be, even more, the man to beat.

“The holidays went well,” the Slovenian said in an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport. “I went to the Seychelles with Urska, my partner, and perhaps for the first time I was able to completely disconnect.

It won’t be easy to repeat what I achieved, but maybe there’s still room for improvement. We’ll see if I can do it.”  

2024 was unforgettable for Pogacar , with the Giro d'Italia-Tour de France double that had not been achieved since 1998, the last one was Marco Pantani ; but among all the moments, perhaps there was one, more beautiful than all: "The World Championship, perhaps, because I achieved it with the Slovenian jersey, but it's not easy to say, the whole year was superb".

The opponents will be more or less the same, even if Evenepoel , who fell a few days ago in training, might not be in great shape, at least in the first part of the season: “There is no doubt that the best climber is Vingegaard - continues Pogacar - capable of having an exceptional level at the Tour. In the classics Van der Poel and Van Aert are references; As for Roglic and Evenepoel , they are so complete, you always have to watch them very carefully, they can invent something even on the flat. I sent a message to Evenepoel, I hope he recovers quickly, he must not stress himself, because it is winter and there is time to recover”

On Evenepoel's doubts about the data recorded by Pogacar at the last Giro di Lombardia, the Slovenian comments as follows: "We have the Velon data reader and I think the reading was a little bit wrong, with too little power. I think Remco thought I had pushed much less, but that I was faster than him on the flat part. The power data was wrong".

Finally, a consideration outside of cycling, making a comparison with NBA star Lebron James , who left the world of social media: "I confess that I have thought about it many, many times too - concludes Pogacar - but at the same time I know that the social world exists and is important, even for sponsors. However, staying there too long can become an addiction and this is not good".  

Photo: Sprint Cycling Agency