When the peloton lined up on the streets of Kigali for the UCI Road World Championships from September 21-28, all eyes were on world number one Tadej Pogačar. Already a Tour de France champion on four occasions, the Slovenian super star carried not only the rainbow stripes on his back but also the weight of expectations. ALSO READ: Pogačar admits there was ‘lot of pressure’ before victory in Kigali He delivered in spectacular fashion, attacking from more than 100 kilometers out and soloing to victory to retain his world title. But to understand how a boy from Ljubljana rose to become the face of world cycling, one has to trace his journey from a small Slovenian town to the pinnacle of global sport. Tadej Pogačar was born on September 21, 1998 Ljubljana, Slovenia’s bustling capital, and grew up in Klanec near Komenda, a quiet town 20 kilometers north of Ljubljana. He is the third of four siblings, raised in a close-knit family. His mother, Marjeta Pogačar, works as a French teacher, while his father, Mirko Pogačar, once managed a chair factory before later joining Pogačar’s former cycling team in a managerial role. Cycling was not the obvious path. Slovenia, though proud of its athletes, was not always considered a hotbed of cycling talent. But Pogačar took to the sport early, racing locally and showing promise against older riders. By the time he was a teenager, he had begun to dominate junior competitions. His victory at the 2018 Tour de l’Avenir, the so-called “Tour de France for young riders,” signaled the arrival of a prodigy. ALSO READ: Alaphillipe withdraws from UCI men’s road race due to illness He turned professional with UAE Team Emirates in 2019 and immediately impressed, winning the Tour of California, making him the youngest rider to win a UCI World Tour race. Later that year, he announced himself on the Grand Tour stage with three stage victories in the Vuelta a España, finishing third overall. He is the only rider ever to have broken the 6,000-point ceiling for UCI points. What followed was nothing short of extraordinary. In 2020, at just 21, he won the Tour de France, snatching victory on the penultimate stage time trial in one of the sport’s most dramatic turnarounds. He became the youngest post-war Tour winner and the first Slovenian to claim the yellow jersey. He defended his crown in 2021, proving his triumph was no fluke. Over the next few years, Pogačar cemented himself as cycling’s most versatile rider. He won Monuments such as Liège-Bastogne-Liège, Tour of Flanders, and Il Lombardia, showcasing his ability across terrains. Unlike many Grand Tour specialists, he was just as deadly in one-day classics as in three-week stage races. In 2024, Pogačar achieved a feat reserved for legends: winning both the Giro d’Italia and the Tour de France in the same season. It was a statement that placed him in cycling’s pantheon alongside names like Eddy Merckx. If 2024 was the year of consolidation, 2025 has been the year of domination. He took his fourth Tour de France title, his rainbow jersey in Kigali, and Monuments earlier in the season, including Strade Bianche and Liège-Bastogne-Liège. ALSO READ: Rwanda’s lived global cycling moment is one to celebrate In Kigali, his performance at the World Championships was breathtaking. Launching an attack with over 100 kilometers left, he rode solo, leaving rivals like Remco Evenepoel and Ben Healy fighting for minor places. He crossed the finish line more than a minute ahead, underlining once more why he is regarded as the most complete cyclist of his generation. Beyond the road, Pogačar is also cycling’s financial powerhouse. In late 2024, he signed a record-breaking contract extension with UAE Team Emirates through 2030. The deal is worth 8 million euros per year, making him the highest-paid rider in the peloton. The contract includes a staggering 200 million euros buy-out clause, effectively ensuring his loyalty to the team unless another squad pays an astronomical sum. For context, this is unprecedented in professional cycling. Race prize money adds to his earnings. In the 2025 Tour de France, for instance, Pogačar’s various classification wins—including general classification, mountains, and stage victories—earned him about 627,280 euros. What sets Pogačar apart is his versatility. Standing 176 cm tall and weighing around 66 kilograms, he is a climbing specialist who can also time trial with the best. His explosiveness on short climbs and resilience over long mountain passes give him an unmatched arsenal. Unlike conservative riders who wait for perfect moments, Pogačar attacks from far out, unafraid of risks. Fans celebrate his boldness; rivals fear it. His solo efforts in the Tour and Worlds demonstrate his willingness to turn races into spectacles. PICTORIAL: Kagame graces UCI 2025 closing ceremony as Pogačar retains world title At just 27, he has already collected four Tour de France titles, a Giro, multiple Monuments, and two consecutive World Championships. Away from the spotlight of races, Pogačar leads a relatively private life in Monaco. He is engaged to fellow Slovenian cyclist Urška Žigart, who is an accomplished rider in her own right. Žigart, born in 1996, races professionally and has multiple national titles. She has won the Slovenian National Time Trial Championships in 2020, 2022, 2023, and 2024, and in 2024 also claimed the national road race championship. She competes regularly in international events such as the Giro d’Italia Donne and the Tour de Suisse Féminin. The couple announced their engagement in September 2021, and their relationship is often cited as a rare example of two elite athletes balancing demanding careers while supporting each other. With a contract through 2030, Pogačar has years ahead at the top level. The questions now are not about whether he will win, but how many more Grand Tours and Monuments he can collect. Comparisons with cycling’s all-time greats are inevitable. Will he match Eddy Merckx’s five Tour de France victories? Could he surpass them? His back-to-back world championships and Giro–Tour double have already placed him in rare company.
