‘Wait two minutes’ — Tadej Pogačar shares rude fan altercation, calls for respect
Negative fan interaction comes just weeks after Jonas Vingegaard’s fan-linked crash
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Tadej Pogačar is calling for greater respect from cycling fans after sharing a candid message on Strava describing a rather rude in-person encounter with a fan during today's ride.
The four-time Tour de France winner posed what he described as an "honest question to all fans," recounting a moment when he was approached for a photo while already engaged in conversation.
“If you find me in conversation with someone and you ask me for photo, I ask you to give me two minutes to finish talk. Do you wait 2 minutes or show me middle finger and take off angry?" Pogačar wrote. "Long day ended with losing biggest fan 😢"
While Pogačar did not provide specific details about the incident, the post's tone suggested genuine frustration.
Pogačar is widely regarded as one of the peloton’s most approachable stars, regularly stopping for photos, autographs and brief chats with fans at races and training rides alike. His message, therefore, is more of a reminder than a complaint. Even the most fan-friendly riders expect basic courtesy.
This incident also comes just weeks after Pogačar’s chief rival, Jonas Vingegaard, saw his season preparations disrupted following a crash that was reportedly linked to fan tailing the Dane too closely on a training ride. While the circumstances differ, both situations are part of a larger and ongoing discussion around spectator behaviour and rider welfare.
Incidents involving roadside crowding, phones or signs held into riders’ paths, and over-eager fans running alongside racers have long been flashpoints in professional cycling. But they appear to be growing more frequent.
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We have previously reported on a string of high-profile fan incidents, from spectators stepping into the road for photos to projectiles being thrown at riders, including the widely condemned case of a bottle hurled at Mathieu van der Poel during Paris-Roubaix.
What’s more, off-the-bike interactions (or altercations) are increasingly part of the conversation as rider visibility rises beyond race environments.
A beloved aspect of cycling is the unusually close access fans have to the sport’s superstars compared to many other global sports. Informal interactions are part of its cultural fabric, but that proximity can blur boundaries.
While Pogačar’s post may have been born out of frustration, it was delivered with his trademark warmth toward supporters.
“…btw I love you all,” he wrote. “Heck I even like the fans that are not my supporters but don’t have attitude of spoiled teenager.”
ICMY: Fan etiquette was a topic of discussion in a recent episode of our new Off The Back podcast; check it out if you haven't listened yet.
Cycling Weekly's North American Editor, Anne-Marije Rook is old school. She holds a degree in journalism and started out as a newspaper reporter — in print! She can even be seen bringing a pen and notepad to the press conference.
Originally from the Netherlands, she grew up a bike commuter and didn't find bike racing until her early twenties when living in Seattle, Washington. Strengthened by the many miles spent darting around Seattle's hilly streets on a steel single speed, Rook's progression in the sport was a quick one. As she competed at the elite level, her journalism career followed, and soon, she became a full-time cycling journalist. She's now been a journalist for two decades, including 12 years in cycling.
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