The Slovenian is the big winner of the tour. In addition to the yellow jersey, he also wears the polka dot and white jerseys as the best climber and young professional.
DISCOVERER: Pogacar was discovered and promoted by former professional cyclist Andrej Hauptman. The former World Championship bronze medallist also brought him to the UAE team, where he works as sports director. However, Hauptman does not have a clean reputation. Before the start of the 2000 Tour, he was excluded because his haematocrit level was over 50 per cent.
SUCCESSES: Pogacar won three stages in the Tour of Spain, as he has now done in the Tour. A feat that no cyclist at this age - Pogacar was only 20 - has ever achieved in a grand tour. He finished third overall at the Vuelta in 2019 after also winning a stage on the penultimate day and improving from fifth place.
FREUNDIN: Cycling is very important in the Pogacar family. His girlfriend Urska Zigart has also made it to the highest level of women's cycling. The 23-year-old has just competed in the women's Giro d'Italia and finished 78th overall. "I'm happy that she's riding in a strong team," said Pogacar.
HOMELAND: The son of a university professor and a designer, Pogacar grew up in Komenda near the capital Ljubljana. He started cycling at the age of nine and quickly left the older age groups behind him. Like many professional cyclists, he now lives in Monaco.
RECORDS: Pogacar not only won three stages of the Tour, but also set three mountain records. He raced up the Col de Peyresourde, the Grand Colombier and the climb to La Planche des Belles Filles in a new record time.
© dpa-infocom, dpa:200919-99-631133/3
