Tour de France, Pogacar: ‘My childhood dream, this is how I won’

From our correspondent Francesco Ceniti

September 20
– The table of beautiful girls (france)

He tiptoed into the press room, almost scared. With a yellow t-shirt to color his life. Starting today, nothing will ever be the same. “It is not true – Tadej Pogacar replies – I will always be the same. With two sisters and an older brother who pushed me to ride a bike. OMG, something has changed: I’m not used to all these reporters, so my phone is locked. I would have liked to talk to mom and dad, I could only listen to my girlfriend for 2 ‘(Urska Zigart, also a cyclist: the pink Giro d’Italia ended yesterday, ed). Here something has really changed ”. And the laughter goes down. The Little Prince has become King of the Tour. Last Monday, on the rest day, I told him during a long distance interview (damn Covid) the nickname Gazzetta had given him: “I like it very much, because I know the book: it is a beautiful fairy tale.” Yours too.

School and sport

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Raised in Slovenia by father Mirko and mother Marjeta. There are two very clear priorities in the family: studying and playing sports. Mens sana in corpore sana, Latinos used to say that they had understood something. The eldest daughter, Barbara, is an electrical engineer. Tadej played all sports as a child. This is because in Slovenia there is a training course: the government invests large resources in structures and teachers. Follow up with children, assign scholarships. The results can be seen: with just over 2 million inhabitants (Lombardy has 5 times more) they were first and second in the Tour. Not only that, they have many other champions: skiing, basketball, volleyball, soccer. They don’t miss out on anything. In Italy the opposite happens: school and sports clash, abandoned gyms, youth games become a good memory. Only one thing is the same for Slovenia: the president’s congratulatory phone call. In fact, not even that. Pogacar again: “Did I hear from Borut Pahor (the Slovenian head of state, ed)? No, but he will be delighted. He is an athlete, he continues cycling. There will be a way to speak. Here politicians jumped through the hoop to call out the new winner of the Grande Boucle. A pro passed in 2019 alone with the UAE-Emirates: 8 races won, including the Volta Algarve and the Giro di California. In addition to the 3 stage victories of the Vuelta, which finished in 3rd place, behind Roglic and Valverde. In France, things were reversed: always 3 partial victories (in addition to the time trial, also the stage of the Pyrenees in Laruns and the Grand Colombier), but the yellow jersey was ripped from Primoz. Already beaten in the time trial a few weeks ago, in the race valid for the Slovenian title.

The team

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The Little Prince became King yesterday I wanted to thank the whole team. “I don’t know what to say. I don’t know how I did it, but I’m very proud of my team: they tried very hard. And we were unlucky: Formolo left with an injury after a fall, Aru had some problems. Two strong absences, but We managed to defend ourselves first and then attack as soon as possible. It is true that I did not have a great day at Col de La Loze, but I had spent a lot in the previous stages. It happens that he is not at his best. It happened to Primoz in the time trial “Nobody expected it. Me neither. Wearing the yellow jersey on the last day is a dream. I am very, very proud of what we have achieved.” On the climb that gave him his triumph, he reveals a detail: “I know every curve, Every curve, every meter of the way. I knew where to accelerate and where to breathe. When did I realize that I had canceled the Tour? I only listened to the radio until the foot of the climb, but then the noise from the audience stopped making me hear anything . I kept pedaling and pedaling. Having crossed the finish line, I understood … “.

Present and future

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Paris awaits her today: there is the coronation as King. A big leap for the Little Prince: “This is my childhood dream. When I was a child I dreamed of being able to race one day on the Tour and not only did I run it, I just won it and it’s incredible. Now what happens, is the plug disconnected? Not even for a dream: “On the 27th I will compete in the Imola World Championship, let’s see what we can do: the road is hard. Then I will aim at the classics of the North, I think I will close the season with Flanders ”. Credits The Little Prince comes out on tiptoe. Receive applause from journalists. Then he crosses paths with Roglic. It was the Sun King until a few hours before. Now it is not. The two embrace. In a sincere way, even moved. Two leaders of the Tour of Slovenia, but only one became the King.