Pogačar Wins Fourth Tour, Counts Down Years Until Retirement

Tadej Pogačar, the reigning four-time Tour de France champion, has openly acknowledged that he is "already counting the years until retirement" despite his continued dominance in professional cycling. At 26, the Slovenian star, who has amassed victories including the Giro d’Italia and World Championships, spoke candidly about the physical and mental challenges of the Tour de France and the inevitability that his peak performance years will eventually wane. After a demanding 2025 Tour, he opted out of the Vuelta a España to rest and focus on upcoming WorldTour races in Canada and the World Championships, aiming to maintain his winning form. Pogačar also revealed his long-term plan to continue competing through the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games before considering retirement, emphasizing his desire to enjoy his current level of competition while preparing mentally for future fluctuations in performance. Even as he embraces his growing fame, Pogačar remains grounded, acknowledging the pressures and fatigue that come with his status but remains motivated to pursue new victories and challenges in the sport. He expects to ride in several more Tours de France, confident that his team will continue to support him in the years ahead.