"I'm at a point where I ask myself why I'm still here"; Duracell bunny Pogacar struggles with empty batteries
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Follow us on GoogleAfter his collapse on the Col de la Loze two years ago, many cycling fans were convinced that Tadej Pogacar would be out for revenge in this year’s queen stage of the 2025 Tour de France. But it didn’t quite play out that way, something Pogacar explained after the finish.
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Everyone knew in advance Visma | Lease a Bike and Jonas Vingegaard were cooking up a plan. That turned out to be a full-gas assault on the Col de la Madeleine, the penultimate climb of the day. Pogacar, however, saw it coming and followed his rival with ease, ending that storyline before it really began.
On the way to the Col de la Loze, UAE Emirates-XRG and Visma | Lease a Bike both allowed Ben O'Connor (Jayco AlUla) and Einer Rubio (Movistar) to break free, keeping their own tactics close to the vest. In the end, that gave the Aussie the win, just ahead of Pogacar, who still managed to drop Vingegaard by nine seconds in the final meters.
"I wanted the stage win, but the yellow jersey is my priority. When Visma pushed the pace on the Col de la Madeleine, I thought winning the stage might be possible. But maybe they went too hard, even on the descent," Pogacar reflected. "They attacked each other and there was no cooperation in the valley. I waited for my teammates, but that took a long time. And when we hit the final climb, I thought Visma would ride faster to catch the breakaway."
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Pogacar still wants to return to the Col de la Loze
Why didn’t Pogacar go all-in for the stage win, despite expectations? "I can’t wait to climb the other side of the Col de la Loze in the Tour de France. That’s the stage I really want to win. This side was much easier, but I want to come back and take a victory from the other direction."
So while Pogacar had an answer for Visma | Lease a Bike’s attacks, he’s not counting his chickens just yet, especially with the peloton heading to La Plagne on Friday. "That’s going to be another important day. Visma | Lease a Bike tried everything, but we stayed strong. That’s the same approach we’ll take there too," he said, referring to his team’s defensive tactics.
"If the stage plays out like today, I’ll feel relaxed," said the man in yellow. "We’re just trying to survive, and I trust my teammates, but who knows, maybe we’ll go for the stage win on the Champs-Élysées?" Pogacar teased.
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Pogacar is also suffering: "I ask myself why I'm still here"
So, big plans for the final day? It seems as if the Duracell bunny Pogacar is unstoppable. But in an interview with Cycling Weekly, a completely different story emerges. He says that he is all done with the Tour. 'I'm at a point where I ask myself why I'm still here. It's so long these three weeks. You count the kilometres to Paris and yes, I can't wait for it to be over so I can do some other nice stuff in my life as well."
The Tour takes its toll on everyone, including Pogacar. He tries to put his statement into perspective, though. “It's still nice to ride, even in the third week when you're tired and annoyed by everybody around you, more or less, and yeah, you just want to go home," he said. "But in the end, when you ride on these big climbs and people cheer on you and give you the extra motivation, you then realise that it's not so bad. Especially if you have a good legs, then it makes everything quite good.”
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Bram van der PloegEditor-in-chief
Bram van der Ploeg (35) is the proud founder of In de Leiderstrui, IDL Pro Cycling's parent site, launched in 2018. Finally, he could create stories about the sport he had followed since childhood. He is the editor-in-chief on paper, but prefers to be with his recorder next to a rider, a team bus, or in the mud at a cyclocross race. Every year, from February to the end of May, Bram follows the entire Italian cycling season, from the Trofeo Laigueglia to the Giro d'Italia, with the grand finale in October in Lombardy. During that time, he lives in Tuscany, where he has since come to call Italy his 'home'.
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Latest Comments
- I’m still learning the calendar: is cyclocross mainly preparation for the spring classics, or does he race it as a separate goal as well? I’d love to see him back in the mud.jeremya04-11-2026
- The article makes it sound as if Roubaix is the only classic where he has a realistic shot. He’s been close in Flanders too, and one good tactical day can change everything.jennifer1904-11-2026
- Milan-Sanremo and Roubaix is a pretty special pair of Monuments. Any clues yet on which cyclocross races he’ll target?andrewf04-11-2026
- He’s right to be realistic about Flanders with Pogačar and Evenepoel around, but you can’t count Van Aert out on those roads. If he gets the right opportunity, he has the engine and experience to take it.davidm04-11-2026
- That Roubaix win felt like such a release after all the near-misses. Brilliant to hear that joy outweighed relief for Wout.patriciaw04-11-2026
- Why would a mountain time trial be different from a normal one? Is it just that the riders have to climb the whole course?samanthak03-11-2026
- I don’t quite buy the “fear of failure” argument. Riders can race the Giro and still have confidence in July; it comes down to recovery and planning, doesn’t it?patriciaw03-11-2026
- The Giro-Tour double is a massive ask, even for the very best. Pogačar made it look almost routine in 2024, but that’s hardly a sensible benchmark for everyone else!pedalpowe2903-11-2026
- Bakelants makes a fair point: if the 2027 Tour really suits Remco, he can’t afford to dilute the build-up. That 37km flat TT will be tempting, mind.julien03-11-2026
- Mont Blanc sounds like a spectacular finish, though four climbs on the final day might be a bit much after eight hard stages. Hope the route details are clear soon.raceready703-11-2026