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Follow us on GoogleTadej Pogacar broke record after record during his victory tour in the Tour de France, the best example being his extraordinary performance on the Plateau de Beille. Even during a training session, the Slovenian rides records from the books: for example, this winter, he rode the best time on the famous training climb Coll de Rates. But even during a quiet training lap, the UAE Team Emirates-XRG leader produces metrics that amaze people.
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Pogacar shared an in-depth look at his training in the Peter Attia Drive Podcast. For example, he discussed his VAM metrics or the number of vertical ascent meters per hour. Just for comparison: with a WAM value of 1350, you ride in the grupetto of the Tour, and with a value of around 1600, you compete in the top ten of the GC. And Pogacar? He just happily cycles with a value of 1800.
The Tour winner also talked about his heart rate: while at rest, his heart beats 43 times a minute; as a junior, he reached a maximum of 213. "Yesterday, I reached 203, so that's still pretty high," he states. But not every workout is full-on. "I like to ride in zone 2. Where I live, in Monaco, it's hard to ride in zone 2 for a long time. Because there's a lot of climbing and then descending, where you can't get into zone 2." During a zone 2 workout, you ride constantly at about 60 to 70 percent of your maximum heart rate: this is an effective zone to improve your endurance and burn fat.
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Pogacar produces in zone 2 workout incredible metrics
"On the cols, I try to be in zone 2 for a long time, 20 to 40 minutes and then recover on the descent. But when I'm back home in Slovenia or Spain at a training camp, where it's flatter, I just keep riding in zone 2 for five hours. During some training sessions, I just want to keep going in zone 2." For Pogacar, zone 2 training means training at a heart rate of 140-150 beats per minute. He then laughingly recounts how, during this "relaxed" training, he pedals 320 to 340 watts without much effort....
He does comment on these metrics. "When you do a five-hour workout, zone 2 is no longer your zone 2. You must know when that happens because you won't be able to recover on the flat. And then I don't ride my bike the next day anyway. So at the end of a workout, I'm pedaling 300 watts in zone 2."
How is it that Pogacar has made such tremendous progress this year? "I changed not only on the bike but also on other fronts. For example, I started training more core." Earlier, Pogi mentioned that he started training more on VO2 Max. He is also trying to add more and more running training. "I've been trying to run harder the last two years, especially in the winter. But this year, it didn't work out. Last year, we ran together in Abu Dhabi. Even on vacation, I get bored and run, swim, or whatever."
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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 how cyclocross works: when he says he messed up the start at the Europeans, can a bad start really make that much difference?patriciaw14-11-2026
- - Love that he’s honest about the pressure. Hopefully he can carry this form through the winter.lindae14-11-2026
- - Beating different competition is the key now. Nys is already in the mix, and Van der Poel could make the next step a much tougher one.jennifer1914-11-2026
- - About time—Mason’s been knocking on the door for years. That Niel win could really open things up for him.cadencekingm14-11-2026
- I’m still learning how cyclocross works—does leading the Superprestige mean Mason is top of that race series, rather than the World Cup? Either way, winning in Belgium sounds like a massive result.cadencekingm13-11-2026
- Calling Onley a contender for an overall Tour win already feels a bit premature, especially after the injury setbacks. Still, the depth of talent is exciting.robert6513-11-2026
- Great to see Dickson’s route from triathlon to the WorldTour getting recognition. Scottish cycling has plenty to be proud of, and the 2027 Grand Départ could give the next generation a real lift.patriciaw13-11-2026
- The article makes a good case for clubs and small teams doing the groundwork, rather than one big development pipeline. Thornley’s Vuelta time trials were seriously impressive too; missing a stage win by two seconds is brutal.davidm13-11-2026
- Mason winning in Niel is huge—beating that kind of Belgian field in the mud takes serious class. The Kelvingrove World Cup could be an unforgettable homecoming.breakawaybikerd13-11-2026
- I’m not sure how WorldTour licences work—could these reports affect whether the team gets one next year, or is that decision based on other criteria?velodromevirtuoso113-11-2026