Tadej Pogacar is poised to claim his fourth Tour de France title, but the Slovenian’s recent comments suggest he may have fallen out of love with the race that has defined his career.
With an insurmountable 4:26 lead over Jonas Vingegaard as the 2025 Tour heads into its final ceremonial stage in Paris on Sunday, Pogacar’s dominance remains unquestioned, yet signs of disenchantment have surfaced, raising questions about his passion for the sport’s greatest event.
The 26-year-old has been untouchable, racking up stage victories with trademark flair. His commanding win on stage 12’s Hautacam summit saw him distance Vingegaard by over two minutes, securing the yellow jersey. Another performance in the stage 13 mountain time trial to Peyragudes extended his lead to 4:07 over Vingegaard.
Yet, beneath the brilliance, Pogacar’s post-race remarks reveal a waning enthusiasm. “I can’t wait for it to be over,” he said after stage 18, confessing he felt “not super energized right now.”
Pogacar admitted in the past that he loves more the classics’ style of racing and not so much the circus that surrounds the Tour de France.
His decision to hold back on the Col de la Loze, saying, “I don’t want to risk anything,” suggests the lack of a close rival challenge may have dulled the thrill of competition. Pogacar’s yearning for a “normal life” points to the toll of a grueling season.
“You just want to go home, but when you ride on these big climbs and people cheer you, it gives you extra motivation. Then you realize it’s not so bad to be here. And if you have good legs then it makes everything quite good.”
While some interpret his words as exhaustion rather than a true loss of passion, the absence of suspense in the Tour’s final week appears to have left Pogacar unchallenged and restless.
Some sources speculate that Pogacar’s comments reflect dissatisfaction with team management, led by Mauro Gianetti, or sporting directors like Simone Pedrazzini and Marco Marcato.
Other speculations say that Pogacar’s frustration extends to his team’s inability to counter Visma’s tactics effectively, especially after his stage 11 crash, which he described as leaving him “scared.” Some could argue that teammates like Nils Politt, or Marc Soler, who are tasked with controlling the peloton or supporting in the mountains, aren’t fully syncing with Pogacar’s aggressive style.
As he prepares to roll into Paris in yellow, the cycling world waits to see if Pogacar will also ride the Vuelta a Espana or will skip the last grand tour to focus on the World Championships.
