"Having 50 or 51 million in the bank changes nothing": Pogacar and Girmay’s manager reveals how his riders stay happy

Carera has been working with Pogacar since 2016. “And he is still the same man I knew back then,” says the Italian. “Of course, he has more responsibility now: if they ask you for 100 photos, you can say yes 100 times, but if it's 5,000, it's more difficult. Yet in his daily life, in the way he interacts with people, he is still the same Tadej.”

That same Tadej is the best cyclist in the world in 2025, and that obviously has consequences. “I get a lot of phone calls, and 95% of them are impossible to answer. Just today, when we were in Andorra, there were requests for four different events: one in South Africa, one in Ecuador, one in the United States and one here. All on the same day. It’s always like that.”

At times like these, Carera sticks to an old principle. “To have a great season, you need to have a great winter. Train, rest, recover physically and mentally. Without that, no miracle is worth it.” The Italian also knows that this requires time with his fiancée Urska Zigart. “He needs to be with someone who makes him feel good.”

“Spending time with Urska, in Monaco, watching a film or TV series, or just staying at home. That’s what makes him Tadej,” says Carera. “Because to her, he’s Tadej, not Pogacar; and to him, she’s Urska, not Zigart, the athlete. This normality protects them, brings them balance,” says the manager of numerous world-class cyclists.

In addition to Pogacar, the Italian also has riders such as Biniam Girmay, Maxim van Gils, Jasper Philipsen, and Cian Uijtdebroeks in his portfolio. “I've been through some very complex transfers,” Carera admits. “The kind that keep you awake at night: international contracts, unpredictable tax rules, sponsors pulling in different directions.”

Still, the Italian knows what he's doing it all for. “When everything falls into place, when you see the rider calm and satisfied, you know it was worth the effort.” According to Carera, that's becoming more difficult than before in a “transfer market that increasingly resembles soccer.” For example, he found the much-discussed transfer of Van Gils to be the most complicated move.

But for the Italian, it is Girmay who has really changed the market. "His breakthrough has changed the rules of the game. Not only because of his victories, but also because of what he represents. Africa is no longer a promise, it is a reality. Girmay has paved the way for the commercial, cultural, and sporting world of cycling."

“His image broadens horizons, increases the audience and attracts brands. He is a symbol of modernity,” says Carera, who represents another golden boy in Isaac Del Toro. “He is pure talent, but also a brain. He has something very special. He represents that new generation that understands that a cyclist's career is not only measured by immediate victories. His peak is still a long way off, but his time will come.”

So it's a pretty chaotic existence, but Carera remains calm amid all the chaos. “My job is not to earn more, but to be happy. Sometimes you have to accept that you earn a little less in order to live better. Having 50 or 51 million in the bank doesn't change anything. What changes is treating yourself well,” says the Italian.

Because Carera also knows: “When a rider is happy, he performs better. If he maintains that bond with his teammates and the team, everything flows. At UAE, Tadej spends more time with them than with his own parents. That family is what sustains his greatness. Working with him is an honor. Not only because he is the best, but because behind the champion lies an exceptional person," the manager concludes with praise.