First cycling memory to winning the Tour de France - get to know superstar Tadej Pogačar

In a new video interview, Pogačar reveals his first experience on two wheels

Promotional feature with Met Helmets

Tadej Pogačar is about to hit a monumental moment in his career, as he starts the 2021 Tour de France wearing the number one of the reigning champion.

On the eve of the 2021 Tour, Pogačar offered a little more insight into the life of a young cycling superstar.

Pogačar, the youngest winner of the Tour de France in the modern era at 21 years old, has shared some of his earliest cycling memories and revealed how he felt heading into last year’s Tour, which he won in dramatic fashion on the stage 20 time trial.

In a wide-ranging interview at Met headquarters in Talamona in the Italian alps, Pogačar sat down with presenter James McLaughlin for a 15-minute chat about all things cycling. 

The pair discuss Pogačar’s influences, whether he has an idol, winning the Tour de France, and racing with no fear. 

Met set up the interview as the helmet sponsor of Pogačar’s UAE Team Emirates squad, as the Emirati-Italian team hopes to defend its Tour de France title from last year.

Pogačar, part of a wave of young stars along with Egan Bernal (Ineos Grenadiers) and Remco Evenepoel (Deceuninck - Quick-Step), heads into the race as the bookies’s favourite, having dominated stages races this season.

The 22-year-old has already won the UAE Tour, Tirreno-Adriatico and his home race the Tour of Slovenia this season, as well as claiming his first Monument win in Liège-Bastogne-Liège.

But he faces tough competition if he wants to claim a second consecutive victory with challenges from stronger teams like Jumbo-Visma with their leader Primož Roglič, and a stacked Ineos Grenadiers outfit.  

>>> 'It's a beautiful life': Primož Roglič's partner Lora Klinc on family life inside the peloton

The 2021 Tour de France starts in Brittany on Saturday (June 26) with three punchy stages and a pivotal time trial on stage five.   

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Alex Ballinger

Alex Ballinger is editor of BikeBiz magazine, the leading publication for the UK cycle industry, and is the former digital news editor for CyclingWeekly.com. After gaining experience in local newsrooms, national newspapers and in digital journalism, Alex found his calling in cycling, first as a reporter, then as news editor responsible for Cycling Weekly's online news output, and now as the editor of BikeBiz. Since pro cycling first captured his heart during the 2010 Tour de France (specifically the Contador-Schleck battle) Alex covered three Tours de France, multiple editions of the Tour of Britain, and the World Championships, while both writing and video presenting for Cycling Weekly. He also specialises in fitness writing, often throwing himself into the deep end to help readers improve their own power numbers.  Away from the desk, Alex can be found racing time trials, riding BMX and mountain bikes, or exploring off-road on his gravel bike. He’s also an avid gamer, and can usually be found buried in an eclectic selection of books.