Tadej Pogačar has credited a combination of experience, improved preparation and a stronger support system for the remarkable form that has made him the dominant rider at the 2026 Tour de France.
After his crushing victory on Stage 6, where he attacked on the Tourmalet and finished nearly three minutes ahead of chief rival Jonas Vingegaard, the Slovenian was asked what separates the current version of himself from the rider who lost the Tour in 2022 and 2023.
Rather than pointing to a single breakthrough, Pogačar said his development has been shaped by several factors. He thanked his parents for his upbringing and recalled growing up in a supportive Slovenian cycling club, where riding with friends and dreaming big helped build the mentality that still drives him today.
While talent and mindset laid the foundation, Pogačar admitted the biggest improvements came after painful defeats. UAE Team Emirates-XRG’s tactical collapse on the Col du Granon in 2022 and his dramatic fade on the Col de la Loze in 2023 exposed weaknesses that forced both rider and team to rethink their approach.
According to Pogačar, his physical condition has improved significantly since then, while the setbacks also strengthened him mentally and gave him valuable experience. He highlighted nutrition, hydration and cooling strategies as some of the team’s biggest advances, especially during this year’s scorching Tour de France.
Pogačar explained that the team’s feeding and hydration systems are now far more organised, helping keep his body temperature lower than in previous editions of the race despite the extreme heat.
The contrast with the early years of his career is striking. His Tour victories in 2020 and 2021 relied more on natural ability and instinct, but as the competition intensified, every aspect of his preparation became increasingly professional.
Former UAE teammate George Bennett has previously described that transformation, saying the 2022 defeat on the Granon marked a turning point. Bennett believes Pogačar responded by training harder, refining his diet and fully committing to his craft, famously saying that “the Granon woke up the beast.”
The changes have produced extraordinary results. Pogačar has claimed 15 victories in just 23 race days during the 2026 season, leaving rivals struggling to keep pace.
His dominance has even prompted Tour de France route designer Thierry Gouvenou to admit that the issue is no longer the course itself but the sizeable gap between Pogačar and the rest of the peloton. With UAE systematically addressing the weaknesses exposed in previous Tours, the Slovenian has become a rider capable of controlling races regardless of the terrain.
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