Tadej Pogačar proves himself a true champion off the bike as well ahead of the 2026 Tour de France

Tadej Pogacar will line up as the clear favorite at the start of the Tour de France on Saturday. In the run-up to the race, the Slovenian rider from UAE Team Emirates-XRG has once again proven himself to be a true champion off the bike. Pogi raised a significant amount of money and made a large donation himself to his home region of Komenda, which was severely damaged in early June.

Let’s go back to early June, when a major storm hit Slovenia. The severe weather left Komenda, near to where Pogacar was born, in shambles. The region was in dire need of help, which the world champion was only too happy to provide.

"The Tadej Pogačar Foundation is donating an initial sum of 100,000 euros to the municipality of Komenda to help residents recover from the severe storm that struck the municipality in early June," the Pogačar Foundation announced in a press release. What exactly happened in early June? “A supercell storm with hurricane-force winds, hail, and heavy rainfall left a trail of massive damage in its wake.”

According to data from the Slovenian Civil Protection and Rescue Service, more than 150 buildings were reportedly damaged, and initial estimates put the total damage at tens of millions of euros. And so, the aid from Pogacar was more than welcome.

"Komenda is where Tadej's athletic career began, and we remain closely connected to it. When a tragedy like this strikes a community, it is only right that we work together and offer our help. We hope that these funds will at least provide some relief to the families hardest hit by the storm,” the Pogacar Foundation said.

In addition to those 100,000 euros, more aid was provided. For example, the world champion also auctioned off the shoes he wore during his victory at Milan-Sanremo. All proceeds from the Pogi Challenge—an amateur race that Pogacar organizes every year—also went to the victims.