Pogacar at first public appearance after Tour de France: "Fact is, I’m already counting down the years until my retirement"

UAE teammate Pavel Sivakov, former teammate Matteo Trentin, and compatriots Luka Mezgec, Matej Mohorič, and Matevž Govekar were among those who made an appearance in Slovenia. Belgian champion Tim Wellens was also expected to attend, but the rider, who lives in Monaco, had to cancel due to illness.

Pogacar headed straight to his home in Monaco after the Tour, where a photo was shared this week with Tour de France Femmes winner Pauline Ferrand-Prévot. So this weekend, Pogacar is truly at home in Slovenia. “I'm happy to see friends, neighbors, and family. Sometimes I indeed wish I were a little less famous. Sometimes it's tiring to take pictures and sign autographs, sometimes less so, but I try to make everyone happy.”

In the Tour, a lot was said about mental fatigue, and Pogacar is the first to admit that this was sometimes the case. “Everyone has a bad day sometimes. You can't expect me to be happy during all 21 stages. The Tour was really tough, one of the toughest I've ever ridden. Everyone who fought for the GC can confirm that. But now I'm well rested, ‘reset’ and ready for new battles.”

That won't be the Vuelta, which was scrapped from his original schedule. Instead, Pogacar will return to Canada for the WorldTour races there and then set his sights on the World Championships. “We know that Montreal suits me better, but that doesn't mean I won't try to win in Quebec as well.”

“This year they've changed the course a bit: it's even easier now, but the finish is harder, so we'll try to win there too. It's not necessarily up to me alone, because we have a few other contenders, including Jhonatan Narváez,” quotes RTVSLO.

And then back to the Tour next year? "The fact is that I'm already counting down the years until I retire," says Pogacar. "I started winning early, and there may be worse results, but I'm ready for anything. I'll probably ride a few more Tours, although you can never say for sure that you'll be there. The Tour is the biggest race, and I doubt the team will let me stay at home for a few years."