2023-10-24 16:36:53
In an interview with L’Equipe, Tadej Pogacar retraces his journey to the second step of the podium on the Champs-Elysées on Sunday, behind his rival Jonas Vingegaard. The Slovenian fought a magnificent battle with the Dane, maintaining a gap of around ten seconds with the Yellow Jersey. Before breaking down in the time trial then in the Col de la Loze, offering Vingegaard a path to his second coronation in a row.
“I was completely fucked up, emotionally drained”
“In the images, you can clearly see that I am completely white on my bike,” describes Pogacar, referring to the Col de la Loze. My body shut down. I had nothing left. The end of the stage was truly horrible, pure suffering. I fought against myself that day. » The UAE rider recounts a complicated end to the Tour, marked by this failure in the Alps: “I was completely screwed, emotionally drained. I had never experienced this before. »
“Given the circumstances, I am proud of my second place overall and of my white jersey,” rejoices the 24-year-old rider. Especially since his season had taken a complicated turn in April, with his wrist injury on Liège-Bastogne-Liège: “I wore a cast for almost the entire month of May, I didn’t do any preparation races in outside the Slovenian championships, he recalls. I wasn’t 100% but I don’t regret starting. » Before that, Pogacar had won the Paris-Nice in March, then the Tour of Flanders at the beginning of April. “My year was already successful,” puts the runner into perspective. The Tour was just a bonus. »
Next year, the double winner of the Grande Boucle (2020, 2021) will surely try his luck again: “I would say there is a 90% chance that I will come back and try to win the Tour. It’s the biggest race in the world, the most important. Nothing replaces the Tour. If everything goes as planned, I will come back, even stronger. » Even if his faithful competitor will also be there: “I hope to swap my white jersey for yellow, but it won’t be easy if Jonas is still there. »
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