Tadej Pogacar with his girlfriend Urska Zigart. © APA/afp / MARCO BERTORELLO

From the end of his career to his great love

The fourth overall victory at the Tour de France was the most challenging for cycling star Tadej Pogacar. Afterward, he spoke openly about his feelings.

July 28, 2025

From: dpa/sn

The Slovenian, who safely brought the yellow jersey to Paris on Sunday and finished fourth on the final stage, admitted this. It was "the most difficult" Tour he's ever ridden because he was constantly pushing the pace. He was "super proud to win for the fourth time, to be on the podium six times in a row," said the 26-year-old dominant rider.

"Every year I hear that it was the toughest Tour in history, but honestly, this year it was at an even higher level," Pogacar said before the final stage. "Maybe there was one day when it was a little calmer. But the performance data tells a different story, because it was incredibly tough. We were generally pushing ourselves to the limit from start to finish," explained the world champion. In the overall standings, he had a lead of 4:24 minutes over Denmark's Jonas Vingegaard.

The dominance of Pogacar and Vingegaard

Pogacar praised Vingegaard for pushing him to greater heights, describing their five-year duel as a privilege. "We push each other to the next level." It's the first time two riders have finished first and second in five consecutive Tours. Vingegaard prevailed in 2022 and 2023, while his rival trailed him this year, in 2021, and in 2024.

Pogacar laid the foundation for his success in the Pyrenees, then managed his lead in the Alps. "We were comfortably in the lead, but yes, I was honestly a bit tired last week," said the victor. The relentless race schedule and training are a constant challenge. "Burnouts happen in sport – mentally and physically. We train a lot. Cyclists sometimes get too obsessed with training."

Pogacar and Vingegaard have been battling for the Tour victory for five years. © APA/afp / LOIC VENANCE

Combined with the many races, this can lead to a cycle of exhaustion. "You can see that some riders are already exhausted at the beginning of the season. At the end, you get caught in this cycle and never recover," said the UAE pro.

For Pogacar, this risk is the reason he refuses to set ambitious goals, such as catching Eddie Merckx and Miguel Indurain with five Tour titles. "At the moment, I don't have any clear goals. Maybe the World Championship this year and the Tour of Lombardy. But for now, I'm just enjoying the moment and will soon start thinking about my next goals," he said.

Will Pogacar retire in 2028?

How long the Tour dominator from Slovenia will continue to have a seemingly insatiable appetite for titles remains unclear. "The Olympic Games in Los Angeles, which will take place in three years, are one of my goals. After that, I might consider retiring; we'll see," the 26-year-old Pogacar told the French sports newspaper "L'Equipe."

The woman at his side

Urška Žigart is not only Pogacar's girlfriend—she is also a successful professional cyclist herself. Born on December 4, 1996, in Slovenia, she currently rides for the UCI Women's World Team Jayco–AlUla. Her cycling career began early, and she made a name for herself, particularly as a strong time trialist.

Slovenian cycling professionals Tadej Pogacar and Urska Zigart have been a couple for many years. © ANSA / MARTIN DIVISEK

Žigart has won the Slovenian individual time trial championship several times and represented her country in international competitions, including the World Championships. She has been in a relationship with two-time Tour de France winner Tadej Pogacar for several years. The couple not only share a love for each other, but also a love for cycling – a bond that binds them together.