Tadej Pogačar is back: Slovenian finishes third on first race day since April
His UAE Team Emirates teammate Rafał Majka won stage one of the Tour of Slovenia, as the pair gained almost a minute on the peloton
- (opens in new tab)
- (opens in new tab)
- (opens in new tab)
- Sign up to our newsletter Newsletter

Welcome back, Tadej Pogačar. The usual, is it?
UAE Team Emirates' precocious Slovenian had been away from racing for two months, his last race being Flèche Wallonne back in April. With just over a fortnight to go until the Tour de France, the 23-year-old was finally back in action at his home race, the Tour of Slovenia, on Wednesday. It was as if he had never been away.
He attacked on the climb of Zadlog with 59km to go, dragging his teammate Rafał Majka and Domen Novak of Bahrain-Victorious with him. After the initial surge had established the breakaway, the trio worked together well to keep the peloton at bay.
Pogačar then dovetailed his attacks late on with Majka to ensure that Novak was outmanoeuvred, which led to the latter's stage win, one which was celebrated heartily by the former as he crossed the line.
Along with the stage win, the attack means Pogačar only elevated his status as favourite for the five-stage race, as with bonuses he now has 50 seconds over his rivals in the peloton. He can just bend a race at whim.
His escape brought back memories of his stunning solo victory at Strade Bianche earlier this year, where he went away with 50km of the race still to come.
As well as an excellent result for him and his team at the race, it was also a reminder for those looking to unseat him at the Tour de France of his form; it never seems to go away.
While Jumbo-Visma impressed at the Critérium du Dauphiné last week, with three stage wins and first and second overall, the state of Pogačar was unknown. While the field at the Tour of Slovenia is hardly that of the Tour, the way he forced the race apart, and then helped drive the winning move to the finish on day one, proves that he has good legs.
He turned down the opportunity to race at the Dauphiné or the Tour de Suisse, and instead decided to ride on his home roads, in front of his home fans, as he did last year. It clearly worked then, so why not now?
Pogačar has, in fact, spent eight full weeks away from racing, with a slightly extended break due to him missing Liège-Bastogne-Liège. However, it is not like he has had an empty calendar, winning at the UAE Tour, Strade Bianche, and Tirreno-Adriatico, before he targeted the Classics. It is also believed that the Vuelta a España is on his schedule, which he might be fresher for now.
There are tougher tests to come this week in Slovenia, and next month in France, but Pogačar looks like he will keep powering on.
Thank you for reading 10 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Adam is Cycling Weekly’s senior news and feature writer – his greatest love is road racing but as long as he is cycling on tarmac, he's happy. Before joining Cycling Weekly he spent two years writing for Procycling, where he interviewed riders and wrote about racing, speaking to people as varied as Demi Vollering to Philippe Gilbert. Before cycling took over his professional life, he covered ecclesiastical matters at the world’s largest Anglican newspaper and politics at Business Insider. Don't ask how that is related to cycling.
-
-
Campagnolo's redesigned Hyperon wheels promise you the 'magic ratio of performance'
The Italian climbing hoops return as a disc-brake all-rounder that at a little over 1,200g are still plenty light
By Luke Friend • Published
-
Nebraska to host the inaugural USA Cycling Gravel National Championship
A stars and stripes jersey is up for grabs alongside the largest gravel prize purse in American cycling history and entry into Gravel Worlds
By Anne-Marije Rook • Published
-
All in for the Poggio: Nine riders to watch at Milan-San Remo 2023
Analysing the top tier of contenders for La Classicissima this weekend, plus one or two surprise packages
By Tom Thewlis • Published
-
Paris-Nice just first step on the road to Tour de France redemption for Tadej Pogačar
The UAE Team Emirates rider might have won the Race to the Sun but he is not taking anything for granted
By Adam Becket • Published
-
Tadej Pogačar wraps up 'dream' victory at Paris-Nice with solo stage win
Slovenian finishes 53 seconds clear of David Gaudu, with Jonas Vingegaard third and Simon Yates fourth
By Peter Cossins • Published
-
Big two becomes big three as Gaudu joins Pogačar and Vingegaard at Paris-Nice
Tadej Pogačar might have won again, but it was close, and David Gaudu could yet win Paris-Nice
By Adam Becket • Published
-
'He cracked a little bit': First blow to Tadej Pogačar at Paris-Nice as Jonas Vingegaard fades
UAE Team Emirates rider is back in yellow on French soil for the first time since stage 11 of last year's Tour de France
By Adam Becket • Published
-
Tadej Pogačar takes Paris-Nice lead with dominant mountaintop victory on stage four
The Slovenian will wear the yellow leader's jersey on stage five
By Tom Davidson • Published
-
Tom Boonen invited to test Colnago V4Rs after criticism of Tadej Pogačar's bike
Boonen and fellow ex-pro Dirk de Wolf invited to Italy for a "public conversation" on the data they used to make claim that bike hindered two-time Tour de France champion
By Tom Thewlis • Published
-
Fear or insurance: Why does Tadej Pogačar keep sprinting for bonus seconds at Paris-Nice?
UAE Team Emirates' Slovenian maestro has 12 seconds on his GC competitors already thanks to bonus sprints
By Adam Becket • Published