UAE Team Emirates-XRG have said there are no concerns over Tadej Pogačar‘s weight heading into the Tour de France, as he completes his final preparation race at the Tour de Suisse.
Questions over Pogačar’s weight cropped up in the build-up to the five-day race after the world champion had said he was “a bit heavier than usual”, and had “got carried away in the gym” building up to the Classics as he transitioned to stage-racing mode at the Tour de Romandie.
More than a month later and with some heavy work at altitude camp in Sierra Nevada in his legs, Pogačar is nearing his top shape to chase a record-equalling fifth yellow jersey at the Tour in July. UAE Sports Manager Joxean Fernández Matxin has stated that there are no worries when it comes to weight.
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“Well, I don’t think we should get too hung up on a kilo or two in a cyclist with his characteristics,” he told Marca in a recent interview.
“When people say a rider weighs two kilos more, we have to analyze what those extra kilos really mean: it’s not always excess weight, but rather more muscle mass or other factors that influence performance.
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“From the perspective of the Classics, that doesn’t necessarily have to be a bad thing. Gorka, the nutritionist, along with Tadej, monitors and plans these aspects very precisely. They know what’s best at each point in the season and make the right decisions. Obviously, with the Tour de France in mind, the goal will be to arrive at his optimal weight.”
Pogačar is expected to dominate the GC race at his Tour de Suisse debut against the likes of Primož Roglič (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe), while more thrilling battles for stage wins are expected between him and Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Premier Tech).
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From here, all eyes will turn to the Tour’s Grand Départ in Barcelona on July 5. Despite Jonas Vingegaard‘s dominant win at the Giro d’Italia, Pogačar will start as the favourite and the defending champion. Everything is on track, according to Matxin.
“I think you’ve all seen the races he’s ridden. It’s not something I need to say. He was good in Romandie, he was good in Liège, he’s felt really good in all the races he’s ridden,” he said.
“We’ve basically done what we had planned. After the Tour de Romandie, we did a couple of reconnaissance stages for the Tour, ten days at his home in Monaco, and then he spent three weeks in Sierra Nevada. After that, he went home for a week to do another two reconnaissance stages in the Alps, near Switzerland, and prepare for the Tour de Suisse and the Tour de France.”
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Pogačar himself said these five days will give him a chance to “see if we are really ready for the Tour de France, or if we need to look for something more in the trainings after Suisse.”
‘He’s not just a champion; he’s a leader’
(Image credit: Getty Images)
With a close battle between Pogačar and Vingegaard looking the most likely it has for the past two years, Matxin noted how different the build-ups for cycling’s two top GC stars have been, and just how difficult it is, mentally and physically, to complete the Giro-Tour double as the Dane is attempting.
“Tackling a Giro and a Tour involves much more than just the number of days of competition. If you do altitude training for the Giro and then another for the Tour, it’s psychologically demanding,” said Matxin.
“Being away from home for so long is demanding for any cyclist; I’m not talking about a specific case, but in general. Facing two Grand Tours can be too much mentally if you accumulate too much altitude training, or conversely, if you don’t, it can also create doubts. In the end, it’s a delicate balance.
“That said, I think the most important thing is what I mentioned before; there’s no point in anticipating too much of what might happen. We’re certain that the preparation has been correct, the riders are in good condition, the team is excellent, Tadej is the best in the world, and the team around him is also at its peak.”
He also focused in on the leadership aspect of Pogačar’s greatness, as he’s set to spearhead another star-studded UAE roster at the Tour, with Dauphiné winner Isaac del Toro as his key lieutenant. For Matxin, it’s not just the talent, but Pogačar’s leadership that has been, and will remain, key to his Tour successes.
“Above all, what impresses me most about Tadej is that he’s not just a champion; he’s a leader,” said the Sports Manager.
“I tell him this often in private, but I also like to acknowledge it publicly because it’s one of the virtues I value most in him. It’s a trait that’s part of his personality, something that can’t be trained or bought.
“There’s no formula for acquiring leadership. You either have it or you don’t. And I believe Tadej has it naturally. If you add to that the enormous talent he possesses as a cyclist, the result is a truly exceptional rider.”
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