Tadej Pogacar has told his rivals that he is 'improving a lot' after securing his fifth Tour de France victory, joining an elite group of five-time champions. The 27-year-old Slovenian crossed the finish line in Paris in a stage neutralised due to safety concerns over rain on the cobbles of the Butte de Montmartre.
Pogacar's dominant performance left only Remco Evenepoel and UAE Emirates XRG teammate Isaac del Toro within 10 minutes of his winning time. His achievement now ranks him alongside Eddy Merckx, considered cycling's greatest champion, and was celebrated with a specially designed all-yellow kit featuring the number five.
The champion credited his improvement to experience and attention to detail. 'You get more experience, you deal with things differently... it's the details that sometimes count, the mood and emotions,' he said. He also praised his teammates, many of whom battled sickness during the race. 'Massive respect for what all of the guys have been doing over the last three weeks.'
Pogacar hinted at retirement, saying he won't race for much longer, and suggested Del Toro as his natural successor. Del Toro, who won the best young rider classification, expressed gratitude for his team's support, despite struggling with illness. 'Tadej has shown how good a friend he is,' he said.
Runner-up Remco Evenepoel, Olympic champion, said he came to the Tour to make the podium and silenced critics who doubted his Grand Tour credentials. 'I’m proving once again that all the comments and criticisms were wrong,' he stated.
