Tadej Pogačar Celebrates 26th Birthday Amid World Championship Preparations: A Look at His Remarkable Career
Today marks the 26th birthday of Slovenian cycling superstar Tadej Pogačar, who is currently in the midst of preparing for one of the few prestigious titles that have eluded him: the World Championships. The event, set to take place next week, offers Pogačar the opportunity to claim one of the remaining jewels missing from his illustrious career. As he gears up for this major milestone, it’s worth reflecting on some of the incredible victories that have defined his last five years in professional cycling.
Since his breakthrough in 2019, Pogačar has consistently showcased his extraordinary talent and tenacity. His first major win came at the 2019 Vuelta a España on the Cortals d’Encamp stage, where he triumphed over seasoned competitors like Nairo Quintana and fellow Slovenian Primož Roglič. This victory announced his arrival among the sport’s elite.
In 2020, Pogačar delivered a series of unforgettable performances, including his sprint victory over Roglič in the ninth stage of the Tour de France. He then stunned the cycling world by winning the decisive time trial on the Planche des Belles Filles, securing his first Tour de France title at just 21 years old. He continued his dominance into 2021, claiming his second Tour de France title and his first Monument at the Liège-Bastogne-Liège, where he out-sprinted Julian Alaphilippe and Alejandro Valverde.
That same year, Pogačar won his second Monument at Il Lombardia and began 2022 with a commanding victory at the Strade Bianche. Despite finishing second in the 2022 Tour de France behind Jonas Vingegaard, Pogačar added another Monument to his collection with a victory at Il Lombardia.
2023 saw Pogačar continue his dominance, winning his fourth Monument at the Tour of Flanders and delivering a stunning performance at Paris-Nice, where he defeated Vingegaard and took three stage wins. He followed that up with a second-place finish in the Tour de France, where he secured two stage wins despite arriving unprepared.
The 2024 season has been equally remarkable for Pogačar, who won his second Strade Bianche, his second Liège-Bastogne-Liège, and his first Giro d’Italia, where he also claimed six stage victories. He then completed an incredible Tour de France-Giro d’Italia double, becoming the first rider since Marco Pantani in 1998 to achieve this feat.
With an astonishing 85 professional victories to his name and a record-breaking 22 World Tour wins in 2024 alone, Pogačar sits atop the UCI Rankings with 11,393 points, more than double his nearest competitor, Remco Evenepoel. He also holds the title of the highest-paid rider in the peloton.
As Tadej Pogačar celebrates his 26th birthday, he stands on the verge of adding another monumental achievement to his legacy at the upcoming World Championships. With plenty of racing still ahead, the world eagerly awaits what this cycling prodigy will accomplish next.
