Tadej Pogacar spills the beans in podcast
Tadej Pogacar has worked hard for his great successes. One value is particularly important to him in training. "I've been training with heart rate monitoring since I was twelve or maybe ten years old. I think I know how my heart rate reacts when I'm tired or feeling good. I can only ride according to my pulse," said the three-time Tour de France winner in the The Peter Attia Drive Podcast. The conversation between the doctor and the cycling star lasts a good 50 minutes.
Tadej Pogacar about Powermeter & VAM values
It is good to compare the heart rate with the wattage, says Pogacar: "However, I would say that power meters are not so reliable these days," he qualifies. Why is that? "You always have to be careful with the outside temperature, calibration and everything - sometimes you can get it wrong. In my experience, you have to be careful with that," explains the Slovenian, who rides with a Shimano power meter.
In my experience, you have to be careful with this - Tadej Pogacar about Powermeter
Pogacar also focuses on speed and VAM during training. The latter term comes from the Italian and stands for "Velocita ascensionale media". It shows how many metres in altitude a rider can cover per hour. With a gradient of 7 or 7.5 per cent, Pogacar says he can ride around 1700 to 1800 VAM for around 15 minutes during training if he goes "all out".
Tadej Pogacar: The Tour de France winner in figures
- Size: 1.76 metres
- Weight: (Start Tour de France 2024): 64.5 kilograms
- Resting heart rate: Average 42 to 43
- Maximum heart rate: 203
- Training wattage zone 2: 320 to 340 watts
The wattages of Tadej Pogacar in Zone 2
Pogacar likes training in "Zone 2", i.e. rides in the basic endurance range. According to his own statement, he rides with a heart rate of 140 to 145 when he is a little more tired. When he is fresher, 150 to 155. 320 to 340 watts to pedal. At his home in the Monaco area, however, it is difficult to train consistently in zone 2 due to the many climbs and descents. The four-time Grand Tour winner emphasises that this works better at training camps or in his home country of Slovenia.
In the podcast, Pogacar talks surprisingly openly about his physical parameters in a way that hardly any other top rider does. The 26-year-old is also asked about his heart rate. His resting heart rate is 37, on average it is said to be 42 or 43 beats per minute at night, sometimes he wakes up at 48 or 49. When he is ill or tired, it is over 50.
The maximum heart rate of Tadej Pogacar
In the juniors, Pogacar achieved a maximum heart rate of 213 beats per minute, currently it should still be 203. "I'm very happy with that," says the UAE pro, who claims to have had a heart rate variability of 80 to 110 during the Giro d'Italia 2024 and the Tour de France 2024.
At the Tour of France in 2022 and 2023, Pogacar was put in his place by Jonas Vingegaard. This year, the Slovenian turned the tables again and barely gave his Danish arch-rival a chance. What did he change before the season?
Cake & chocolate not a taboo
"I haven't just changed my training on the bike. I'm doing more strength and stabilisation training and have implemented things off the bike," says Pogacar. The double winner does not go into the role his new coach Javier Sola plays in this, but adds: "I've gone into more detail when it comes to nutrition." Pogacar, who claims to have started the 2024 Tour de France with a body weight of 64.5 kilograms, is not as ascetic as many might assume.
"I don't restrict myself too much. I never say: 'I can't eat cake or chocolate'. But everything in moderation and at the right time. If you restrict yourself too much and don't touch chocolate for a month - or six months - then you'll go crazy. That's not a good relationship with food. You also need to maintain a balance when it comes to 'bad food'."
The nutrition strategy of UAE Team Emirates & Tadej Pogacar
Pogacar also provides detailed insights into UAE Team Emirates' nutritional strategy during the races. "We have either 30 or 60 grams of carbohydrates in a water bottle," explains the Slovenian. "To be honest, I like the lower dosage more, then I can eat more. But on a hard stage, the 60 grams in the bottle is better, then you can eat less. I mean, on hard stages you need to consume 120 grams per hour. For easier stages, 60 to 90 grams is fine. That's what we're aiming for."
Five years ago, Pogacar could not have imagined consuming so many carbohydrates per hour. But now he no longer has any problems with it. The composition of the gels is crucial. "There should be a good mix between glucose, fructose and all the other ingredients in the gels."
