Just 10 days after winning the Tour de France for the fifth time, Slovenian cyclist Tadej Pogacar (27) is back in the saddle. The championship title he recently celebrated in Paris is still fresh, but his bicycle wheels are already turning again.
This hard work is documented through his Strava activity. On Wednesday (5/8/2026), he wrote “Back to work” after covering 130.54 kilometers around his hometown, Komenda, Slovenia. The total elevation reached 2,195 meters.
The next morning, he cycled again. The distance was 121.65 km. This time, the title of his activity was “Train against clock.” Cyclingnews, a digital cycling media outlet, suspected the title referred to his very early departure before leaving Slovenia.
However, Pogacar’s days with his bicycle are not solely about intense training. In between, Pogacar took the time to participate in the series of events of the Pogi Challenge in Slovenia on July 31. The participants were invited to tackle the uphill course. After that, Pogacar would chase after them.
He also replaced his racing bike with a gravel bike. He left behind the UAE Team Emirates-XRG uniform. The racing attire with prominent names and sponsors was exchanged for regular clothing.
He tackled a course he calls the “gravel jungle.” On Monday (August 3rd), he rode 62 km, and on Tuesday (August 4th), he rode another 39.57 km. Gravel offered him something not always available on professional roads.
No yellow jerseys. No podiums. No opponents to defeat.
Pogacar even wore a white outfit without any team identification to reduce attention from other cyclists. He could ride more freely, simply enjoying the roads and forests around his home. For a few days, Pogacar could be an ordinary person.
That break may feel like a relief for the racer who, in recent years, has almost always been followed by victory. Pogacar has won in nearly every type of terrain, from the long climbs of the Grand Tour to the gravel roads of Strade Bianche and the Tour of Flanders.
The world has given various nicknames that describe his dominance. He is referred to as a “monster.” The devourer. Even the Belgian cycling legend Eddy Merckx, known by the nickname The Cannibal, once referred to Pogacar as “The New Cannibal.”
However, Pogacar himself isn’t entirely comfortable with that image. “I don’t eat people, just energy gels and candy. I don’t feel like a cannibal like Merckx,” he told Cyclingnews in 2023.
That joke somewhat illustrates another side of Pogacar. Behind the racer who seems never satisfied with winning, there is a child who, in the past, did not even start cycling with ideal equipment.
Having fun
Pogacar was born in Komenda, north of Ljubljana. As a child, he preferred soccer. Bicycles only entered his life after his brother, Tilen, joined the ROG Ljubljana cycling racing club.
When Tilen began training, Pogacar, who was only nine years old, also tried it out. Coach Mikha Koncilja then gave him a green Billato bicycle. The problem was, the bicycle was too big for Pogacar’s small frame.
Pogacar did not grow up in a family with a strong tradition of elite sports. His father, Mirko, was a factory worker and his mother, Marjeta, was a teacher. From the beginning, they wanted their child to enjoy what he does, not just pursue victory.
That principle later became a key part of his career story. In Andy McGrath’s book Tadej Pogacar: Unstoppable, the philosophy that describes Pogacar’s early career is summarized simply: win races, have fun, no problems.
Starting to compete in 2008 at the age of 10, his professional career skyrocketed after joining UAE Team Emirates in 2019. In his debut season in the UCI WorldTour at the Vuelta a España 2019, he finished in third place and won three stages.
A year later, the world was taken by surprise. At the age of 21, Pogacar won the Tour de France (TdF) 2020, becoming the youngest champion in history since 1904.
Since then, victories have come from various fields. He won the TdF again in 2021, 2024, 2025, and 2026, as well as winning the Giro d’Italia in 2024.
His five TdF titles put him level with Eddy Merckx, Jacques Anquetil, Bernard Hinault and Miguel Indurain.
However, Pogacar’s dominance has kept him under scrutiny for doping. In the 2026 Tour de France, the monitoring of him reached an unusual level.
Pogacar is one of the cyclists who underwent doping tests in the middle of the night and early morning. So far, Pogacar has been declared free of doping.
Remarkably, amidst all the pressure, Pogacar still found space for kindness. In 2022, he established the Tadej Pogacar Foundation together with his former physical coach Inigo San Millan to support cancer patients and those affected by disasters in Slovenia.
“I am happy to be active in this field even though I have very few days off. I can say that about half of my very limited free time is dedicated to the foundation,” he said.
Three titles
However, this time, that freedom didn’t last long. There was one Grand Tour title he awaited: the Vuelta a España.
As quoted by The Guardian, Pogacar has announced he will compete in the 2026 Vuelta, which runs from August 22 to September 13, less than a month after the TdF concludes. This will be his first appearance in the Vuelta since his debut in 2019.
If successful, Pogacar will complete the collection of three Grand Tours: Giro d’Italia, Tour de France, and Vuelta a España. In doing so, he will match the achievement made by his main rival, Jonas Vingegaard.
However, despite arriving with five Tour de France titles, Pogacar stated that the challenge of becoming the champion at the Vuelta will never be easy. The race consists of 21 stages with a total distance of approximately 3,275 km.
“This body will not be sufficiently fresh if it has to compete again immediately. It needs time to recover both physically and mentally,” said Pogacar a day after winning the TdF 2026.
Now, his struggle to recover his body and mind continues. He’s taken on highways, gravel, and even entertainment competitions to get back to his best.
However, it may not solely be victory that is sought in the Vuelta. Perhaps it is all about fulfilling the desire to enjoy the thrill of riding on their bicycle. (AP/REUTERS)
Tadej Pogacar
Born: Slovenia, September 21, 1998
Profession: Cyclist
Just 10 days after winning the Tour de France for the fifth time, Slovenian cyclist Tadej Pogacar (27) is back in the saddle. The championship title he recently celebrated in Paris is still fresh, but his bicycle wheels are already turning again.
This hard work is documented through his Strava activity. On Wednesday (5/8/2026), he wrote “Back to work” after covering 130.54 kilometers around his hometown, Komenda, Slovenia. The total elevation reached 2,195 meters.
The next morning, he cycled again. The distance was 121.65 km. This time, the title of his activity was “Train against clock.” Cyclingnews, a digital cycling media outlet, suspected the title referred to his very early departure before leaving Slovenia.
However, Pogacar’s days with his bicycle are not solely about intense training. In between, Pogacar took the time to participate in the series of events of the Pogi Challenge in Slovenia on July 31. The participants were invited to tackle the uphill course. After that, Pogacar would chase after them.
He also replaced his racing bike with a gravel bike. He left behind the UAE Team Emirates-XRG uniform. The racing attire with prominent names and sponsors was exchanged for regular clothing.
He tackled a course he calls the “gravel jungle.” On Monday (August 3rd), he rode 62 km, and on Tuesday (August 4th), he rode another 39.57 km. Gravel offered him something not always available on professional roads.
No yellow jerseys. No podiums. No opponents to defeat.
Pogacar even wore a white outfit without any team identification to reduce attention from other cyclists. He could ride more freely, simply enjoying the roads and forests around his home. For a few days, Pogacar could be an ordinary person.
That break may feel like a relief for the racer who, in recent years, has almost always been followed by victory. Pogacar has won in nearly every type of terrain, from the long climbs of the Grand Tour to the gravel roads of Strade Bianche and the Tour of Flanders.
The world has given various nicknames that describe his dominance. He is referred to as a “monster.” The devourer. Even the Belgian cycling legend Eddy Merckx, known by the nickname The Cannibal, once referred to Pogacar as “The New Cannibal.”
However, Pogacar himself isn’t entirely comfortable with that image. “I don’t eat people, just energy gels and candy. I don’t feel like a cannibal like Merckx,” he told Cyclingnews in 2023.
That joke somewhat illustrates another side of Pogacar. Behind the racer who seems never satisfied with winning, there is a child who, in the past, did not even start cycling with ideal equipment.
Having fun
Pogacar was born in Komenda, north of Ljubljana. As a child, he preferred soccer. Bicycles only entered his life after his brother, Tilen, joined the ROG Ljubljana cycling racing club.
When Tilen began training, Pogacar, who was only nine years old, also tried it out. Coach Mikha Koncilja then gave him a green Billato bicycle. The problem was, the bicycle was too big for Pogacar’s small frame.
Pogacar did not grow up in a family with a strong tradition of elite sports. His father, Mirko, was a factory worker and his mother, Marjeta, was a teacher. From the beginning, they wanted their child to enjoy what he does, not just pursue victory.
That principle later became a key part of his career story. In Andy McGrath’s book Tadej Pogacar: Unstoppable, the philosophy that describes Pogacar’s early career is summarized simply: win races, have fun, no problems.
Starting to compete in 2008 at the age of 10, his professional career skyrocketed after joining UAE Team Emirates in 2019. In his debut season in the UCI WorldTour at the Vuelta a España 2019, he finished in third place and won three stages.
A year later, the world was taken by surprise. At the age of 21, Pogacar won the Tour de France (TdF) 2020, becoming the youngest champion in history since 1904.
Since then, victories have come from various fields. He won the TdF again in 2021, 2024, 2025, and 2026, as well as winning the Giro d’Italia in 2024.
His five TdF titles put him level with Eddy Merckx, Jacques Anquetil, Bernard Hinault and Miguel Indurain.
However, Pogacar’s dominance has kept him under scrutiny for doping. In the 2026 Tour de France, the monitoring of him reached an unusual level.
Pogacar is one of the cyclists who underwent doping tests in the middle of the night and early morning. So far, Pogacar has been declared free of doping.
Remarkably, amidst all the pressure, Pogacar still found space for kindness. In 2022, he established the Tadej Pogacar Foundation together with his former physical coach Inigo San Millan to support cancer patients and those affected by disasters in Slovenia.
“I am happy to be active in this field even though I have very few days off. I can say that about half of my very limited free time is dedicated to the foundation,” he said.
Three titles
However, this time, that freedom didn’t last long. There was one Grand Tour title he awaited: the Vuelta a España.
As quoted by The Guardian, Pogacar has announced he will compete in the 2026 Vuelta, which runs from August 22 to September 13, less than a month after the TdF concludes. This will be his first appearance in the Vuelta since his debut in 2019.
If successful, Pogacar will complete the collection of three Grand Tours: Giro d’Italia, Tour de France, and Vuelta a España. In doing so, he will match the achievement made by his main rival, Jonas Vingegaard.
However, despite arriving with five Tour de France titles, Pogacar stated that the challenge of becoming the champion at the Vuelta will never be easy. The race consists of 21 stages with a total distance of approximately 3,275 km.
“This body will not be sufficiently fresh if it has to compete again immediately. It needs time to recover both physically and mentally,” said Pogacar a day after winning the TdF 2026.
Now, his struggle to recover his body and mind continues. He’s taken on highways, gravel, and even entertainment competitions to get back to his best.
However, it may not solely be victory that is sought in the Vuelta. Perhaps it is all about fulfilling the desire to enjoy the thrill of riding on their bicycle. (AP/REUTERS)
Tadej Pogacar
Born: Slovenia, September 21, 1998
Profession: Cyclist
