Pogacar to defend Tour de France and world title on ambitious 2025 program / Photo: © AFP
-
Ukrainian fashion designer debuts art between air raids
-
Counterculture pop artist Peter Max dies at 88: US media
-
Gambian businesses struggle under prolonged blackouts
-
Asian Games chief defends 'functional' rooms after backlash
-
Fiji declares national HIV crisis
-
Leader's sister says only 'idiots' think N. Korea to give up nukes
-
Australia to cut migration to fix housing crisis: minister
-
World's water cycle becoming more unpredictable, UN warns
-
NASA scan discovers new, 'once in a century' Moon crater
-
Where the US-China tariff row stands ahead of White House summit
-
Most stocks rise as Fed hikes and indicates drive to curb inflation
-
Croc-habitat gets green light for 2032 Olympic rowing
-
US again denies Palestinian leader Abbas visa to attend UN assembly
-
Indonesia cash-for-photos scheme turns animal hunters into protectors
-
Lula says he will go to UN to tell Trump to 'stay out' of Brazil's elections
-
'Left-field' life: Briton becomes Thailand's top foreign monk
-
Messi heads Inter Miami to Campeones Cup triumph
-
India's transgender amendment leaves many in limbo
-
AI looms large ahead of Xi, Trump summit
-
Trump to host Xi amid pomp, low expectations
-
Smith still haunted by 'Sandpapergate' as he prepares for South Africa Tests
-
Harry set for UK public outings with security, royal status hazy
-
UK-Sudanese author pens book to give children 'African history of Africa'
-
NFL Chiefs' Kelce among investors bilked in Ponzi scheme
-
Boehly and Walter sell Chelsea stake to Clearlake Capital
-
Trump threatens EU over 'hostile' Canada association plan
-
US House backs data center power cost bill amid midterm backlash
-
Argentine judge orders suspension of Falklands oil project
-
US Congress passes sweeping Russia sanctions bill
-
Carrick takes the blame as troubled Man Utd suffer League Cup misery
-
Barca hit Racing for seven as Atletico crush Osasuna
-
Barcelona hit seven in Racing Santander rout
-
US Fed raises rates to tackle 'too high' inflation, irking Trump
-
Amorim's Milan beaten by Benfica, Sunderland make dream European return
-
Man Utd misery mounts after League Cup collapse against Brighton
-
US stocks fall, dollar gains after Fed lifts interest rates
-
Turkey releases 106 protesters, jails more LGBTQ activists
-
Seahawks rule out Darnold for Sunday game at Arizona
-
US Fed raises rates to tackle 'too high' inflation in move sure to rile Trump
-
Mbappe explains Ceuta shirt stance after criticism
-
England were 'waiting for death' in World Cup semi-final defeat: Tuchel
-
Improving Atletico cruise to comfortable win over Osasuna
-
NFL star fined for displaying name of slain Palestinian girl
-
Candidate for UN chief calls for AI regulation akin to nuclear weapons
-
Witsel retires from internationals after 18-year Belgium career
-
O'Neill expects Celtic recovery after Old Firm misery
-
US Fed raises rates to battle inflation in move likely to rile Trump
-
Man City midfield trio backed to emulate Rodri and Silva
-
Fitzpatrick 'not comfortable' over Dubai golf finale
-
'We're losing control,' AI pioneer Yoshua Bengio tells AFP
Pogacar to defend Tour de France and world title on ambitious 2025 program
Tadej Pogacar insisted on Tuesday he would not ease off after a record-breaking 2024, declaring he was hungry for more success with a plethora of one-day classics and two Grand Tours on the 2025 menu.
The 26-year-old Slovenian dominated the 2024 season winning two one-day monuments, the Italian Giro, the Tour de France and the world title on his way to 25 wins in total for the year.
He will get his 2025 season underway at the UAE Tour. He will race the Strade Bianche, Milan-San Remo, the E3 Grand Prix, Gent-Wevelgem and the Tour of Flanders before the Ardennes classics.
One race off the agenda is the Paris-Roubaix, suited to heftier riders due to its harsh old cobbled mining roads.
"I wanted to get back on the cobbles and I'll do it again in the future. I'm saving Paris-Roubaix for later. But I love racing the classics." he said in Benidrom, Spain, on Tuesday.
"After the Giro-Tour thing this season, I'd like to do the Tour-Vuelta, or even the Giro-Vuelta. But the Tour is the Tour, and it will still be my priority next year, along with the Worlds," he confirmed.
As well as the Tour de France, which will run from July 5-27, Pogacar will choose between the Giro and Vuelta once the routes have been revealed.
If he foregoes the Giro (May 9-June 1) in favour of the Vuelta (August 23-September 14), the Slovenian will take part in the Criterium du Dauphine (June 8-15) in preparation for the Tour de France.
"What's certain is that he won't be doing the three big Tours next year," Team UAE sports director Joxean Fernandez Matxin said.
Pogacar is also due to defend his title at the World Championships, which will be in Rwanda in September, on a very demanding course in Kigali.
"I'd like to race all three Tours one day but there are 30 riders in the team you know, and I can't race everything," Pogacar said.
He should then end his season on October 11 at the Tour of Lombardy, the last Monument of the year, where he will be aiming for a fifth consecutive success.
"Last year was an exceptional year for me. I had a great time. Everything went super smoothly, I managed to be in great shape in every race," said Pogacar who at only 26 years old, feels "still young" and believes he can "progress", particularly on the "small details".
Y.Bouchard--BTB