Special envoys to the Markstein
Like last year, Tadej Pogacar will return to the Champs Elysées with second place in the Tour de France behind his great rival Jonas Vingegaard. A rank that does not satisfy his ogre appetite after winning the event in 2020 and 2021 but on Saturday, after his victory in the 20th stage, the Slovenian had regained part of his smile thanks to a new victory, his eleventh on the Grande Boucle. Beaten, he makes an appointment with the formidable Jumbo Visma and Jonas Vingegaard next year. With a preparation that may be different.
“I do not know what happened. We were there to win but the people around me had already told me that after the Col de Joux Plane and the Grand Colombier, I didn’t look in good shape. I did not notice. I work day to day and in the Col de la Loze, I have no explanation for what happened. Anyone can have a bad time in their career and feel really bad. I recover my level at the end of the Tour de France. I have more color on my face than last week when I was very pale.”
“If everything goes as planned next year, I’ll be there hopefully stronger, but you never know how it can turn out. Maybe there will be other young people who will also arrive and join the fight. I think the future ahead of us is bright.”
“In recent days, I do not know myself and there I feel good having found a smile. It’s just a bike race… What I want is to feel good on my bike, that’s what matters the most.”
“Jonas had some really good days and I couldn’t keep up with him those two days. I was impressed by his performance while I had one of the worst days of my career (during the stage to Courchevel, editor’s note). I think that despite that we had some good fights and that the Tour was interesting for the public. I have a lot of respect for him, he’s a great guy and one of the best climbers in the world. When he comes to the Tour de France, he’s the best, that’s all. It’s a race that suits him well. I have enormous respect for him. Even if we are not in a relationship, we still have a bright future with Jonas.
“Last week was very difficult. I received a lot of help from my team and my family but also from supporters and friends. And also of all these spectators at the edge of the roads and on social networks. Everyone was there all the time cheering and supporting me and I just had to push the pedals.”
“It was I who cracked, it was not them who made me crack. Nobody made me crack, I insist on that. It’s me and me alone against myself.”
“I learned that I could suffer when I felt like crap on the bike and was at rock bottom. I kept pushing the pedals and I still held on. That’s my big lesson.”
“I like challenges and being present in a lot of races that precede the Tour de France. Maybe next year we’ll do things differently and we’ll set ourselves other challenges. It’s too early to talk about next season. I am 90% sure that I will be there in 2024 on the Tour de France to win it.
“If you had asked me that two days ago, I would have said no but today I tell you we will see. I’ll go home to rest a bit and see how I feel. I love the world championships but they come at a bad time in the season I think. I can’t promise anything, I would love to go there.”
