'Clearly faster than last year' – Pogačar says his 'numbers' are higher than ever
It's that time of year when 'psyops' (psychological operations) are a common occurrence among the favourites for upcoming big races, and while Tadej Pogačar has no trouble letting his legs do the talking, the Slovenian has engaged in some big talk ahead of the Tour de France.
"The numbers certainly show that I am stronger than last year," Pogačar told L'Équipe at the Tour de Suisse on Saturday. "During the recent training camp in the Sierra Nevada – there is a climb where I tested myself last year, I managed to set a really good time there back then.
"I still remember thinking: wow, I don’t think I’ll ever be able to go faster. This year, at the end of the training camp, just for fun, I decided to give it another try. In the end, I was clearly faster than last year. So yes, I would say I am stronger than in 2025. Certainly from a training perspective."
Pogačar is currently racing the Tour de Suisse, where he takes a sturdy lead into the final stage after winning stage 1 "on a whim" and the stage 4 individual time trial.
