Problems for the prodigy

Of course, Tadej Pogacar is not a child prodigy. Then, to live up to the definition of a child prodigy, he would have won the Tour de France as a child, which is definitely impossible for physical reasons. Of course, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is probably the most famous figurehead of all those who were already ahead of adults when they could barely walk. His first piece, a minuet for piano, was written in 1761 when the boy was only five years old. Of course, Pogacar could already cycle at that age. Without training wheels. He is now 23 years old and is still considered a child prodigy. At least in his profession.

He has already won the Tour de France twice so far. In his home country of Slovenia, he triggered a hype that reminded me of the enthusiasm of the Germans after Jan Ullrich's Tour victory in 1997. Those who respected themselves rode their bikes afterwards. There was no need for evidence of the beneficial effect climate protection. Cycling was suddenly in, even if it wasn't until years later that a shift away from cars began, at least for those who only had about five kilometers to work. And cycle paths were only gradually planned. That's how it is in Slovenia right now. You cannot currently buy bicycles. The bikes are sold out, and not just because of interrupted supply chains and the associated production problems. But where new roads are being built or widened, cycle paths are also being considered. Alone in a wide area It is not the case that all projects will be canceled in view of the dramatic reports from France. Meant to be sporty. Pogacar broke in. The prodigy, one could easily put it, was brought down to earth. The “Col du Granon” could have become the mountain of fate for Tadej Pogacar. He lost almost three minutes to the Dane Jonas Vingegaard. Just a few days ago one would have thought that the Slovenian would be able to tackle this monster stage with a climb of 11,3 kilometers and a gradient of 9,3 percent with the ease he is used to. The new man in yellow: Jonas Vingegaard © ANSA / YOAN VALAT

But nothing is easy for him now because the competition is watching him with merciless intensity after his two hussar rides in the last two years. And what's more, even an exceptional athlete like Pogacar needs a well-functioning team to put his talent on the road. After all, Mozart also needed a well-tuned piano for his compositions. The Slovenian high-flyer is particularly lacking support from the team. This must not be forgotten. The situation is fatal. Two of his teammates can no longer cycle after a positive corona test and two others are weak because they also allegedly tested positive, although that also sounds strange. Why, one may ask, do they still go with us? Cycling virus spreaders. A new tour specialty. Desperation as a driving force Pogacar is therefore almost alone in the field. He is a lonely fighter, surrounded by a hungry mob that mercilessly exploits every little weakness. Above all, the “Jumbo-Visma team”, for which Vingegaard drives, takes the Slovenian to task whenever possible. Wherever he appears and whatever he tries, almost in desperation and forced to go it alone, he is met with strategic counterattacks. And yet there is still a lot of respect for the sporting prodigy from Upper Carniola because everyone in the peloton knows that the Slovenian can still counterattack even when he is desperate. He has already won a tour once with a final mountain time trial. That was at its premiere in 2020. The leader back then was his compatriot Primoz Roglic. The best-known and most famous stage race in the world is not yet over this year.

Huge challenges still lie ahead. After a four-year break, the mountain finish in Alpe d'Huez beckons again. A classic and perhaps the greatest test for everyone and also for the cycling prodigy Tadej Pogacar. If he ultimately wins the overall ranking this year, it would probably be a leap into the next superlative category. Then one could easily say that he was already a legend, having barely fledged. If he were to lose, it wouldn't be too tragic, because it is now undisputed that he still has plenty of great years ahead of him. He has signed a contract with his current team “UAE-Team Emirates” until 2027. This is the longest contract a professional cyclist has ever taken. As befits a child prodigy.

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Problems for the prodigy

At the Tour de France, the most recent two-time winner Tadej Pogacar from Slovenia is facing unusual problems. Our columnist Sigi Heinrich still believes in the great future of the exceptional talent, who was praised as a child prodigy.

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