Few accolades in world sport have felt as straightforward as Pogacar being named Slovenia’s best male road cyclist once again after the most dominant season of his illustrious career. The 2025 campaign also was, by almost any metric, one of the most dominant ever produced by a modern rider.
Beyond the silverware, Pogacar’s 2025 results were noteworthy for what they represented: versatility across terrains, tactical maturity, and an ability to control races from almost any position. His performances moved the broader conversation towards legacy — with many analysts openly questioning how far he now is from the “GOAT” debate.
That context made his national award entirely unsurprising. For Slovenia, he is no longer just an exceptional champion; he is a global sporting reference point who continues to elevate the country’s presence on the world stage.
Zigart’s breakthrough season earns deserved national recognition
For Urska Zigart, the women’s award recognises a different but equally meaningful storyline: a true breakthrough season.
Those results came alongside improvements in national championship performances and a visible shift in how she was deployed within her team: no longer primarily a support rider, but increasingly trusted as a protected leader in stage races.
The federation’s decision to honour Zigart reflects how far she has progressed and how her trajectory has widened the picture of Slovenian cycling. In a nation often defined internationally by its male stars, her award represents Slovenia’s growing strength on both sides of the sport.
A defining moment for a defining duo
Although the Evening of Stars included many other award categories, it is the dual recognition of Pogacar and Zigart that travels furthest beyond Slovenia’s borders. In the space of a single season, both riders delivered storylines of dominance and emergence — one confirming his status as cycling’s defining figure, the other proving she belongs in the conversation among the discipline’s rising GC talents.
Their 2025 honours serve not only as national recognition but as markers of where Slovenian cycling stands: still riding the wave of unprecedented success, and continuing to produce riders capable of shaping the sport’s biggest races.