Is an ultra-enthusiastic Tadej Pogačar fully recovered from his “heavy crash” at Milan-Sanremo?

Still sporting his blond hairstyle, Pogačar looked relaxed and cheerful at the table with the Belgians. He had arrived in Flanders earlier on Thursday and had enough time to preview Sunday’s race, where he will be aiming for a third victory in the Tour of Flanders.

He already won De Ronde in 2023 and 2025, and very few people doubt that he will once again play a leading role this Sunday. In the only two races he has ridden so far this season, Strade Bianche and Milan-Sanremo, the reigning world champion came out on top both times.

The main question of the evening, however, was how Pogačar is feeling after his crash in Milan-Sanremo. “I think and hope I’m ready, and I’ve been able to train well,” he said. “After Sanremo I took it a little easy for a while. It was a heavy crash, but I didn’t have many deep wounds. So they didn’t bother me for very long.”

That means the world champion appears to be in excellent shape once again. The racer in Pogačar “can’t wait” for the Tour of Flanders. “From the moment I arrived at the airport, I could already feel the enthusiasm of the fans,” he said. “There were people waiting for autographs and photos. You immediately feel that you’re back in the land of cycling.”

Pogačar said he is especially looking forward to the atmosphere in Flanders, something he had already soaked up in part by watching the previous Flemish races on television. He described both the E3 Saxo Classic, won by Mathieu van der Poel, and In Flanders Fields, won by Jasper Philipsen, as “very interesting races.”

Dwars door Vlaanderen also caught his eye, and there was one common thread running through all of those races: Florian Vermeersch was prominent in the finales every time with his attacking style. “Florian did really well,” said Pogačar, who admitted he had also teased his Belgian teammate with a message afterwards.

“What did I send him? ‘Why don’t you win?’” Pogačar said with a smile. It was clearly meant as a joke, although Vermeersch then revealed that he genuinely receives a message from his team leader after every race. “He always congratulates me and sends me positive feedback,” said the Belgian. “So far, he’s been a really nice teammate.”

Finally, the conversation briefly turned to Remco Evenepoel’s upcoming Tour of Flanders debut. Pogačar admitted that the news had not come as a complete shock. “I was a little bit surprised, but at the same time not really,” he said. “I had already heard rumours some time ago.”