Tadej Pogacar has withdrawn from the upcoming summer Olympics in Paris.
Cycling enthusiasts in Slovenian have shown concerns following Pogacar’s announcement to withdraw from the Olympics and are anticipating for him to change his decision and join the team back.
Tadej Pogacar cited the Slovenian Olympic Committee’s decision not to select his girlfriend Urska Zigart as a factor influencing his choice to withdraw from Paris 2024.
Pogacar, who clinched his third Tour title recently, withdrew from the Games citing “extreme fatigue,” according to a statement by the OKS on Monday.
Before participating in a criterium race in the Netherlands on Tuesday, Pogacar commented on Zigart’s omission, stating, “It’s not the primary reason, but it certainly didn’t help.
I believe she deserves her place. She holds dual national titles in road race and time trial.”
Slovenia has chosen Urska Pintar, 38, and Eugenia Bujak, 35, for the women’s road race scheduled on August 4.
Bujak, a six-time Slovenian champion, did not compete in this year’s national championships, where Pintar, the 2023 national champion, finished second, trailing 27-year-old Zigart by 10 minutes and 47 seconds.
“[Zigart] is Slovenia’s only female cyclist ever to achieve a top 10 placement in week-long World Tour races,” Pogacar informed Dutch broadcaster NOS.
“In the last two years, she has significantly contributed points for Slovenia, and without her, they wouldn’t have secured two spots in the road race.”
Pogacar, 25, was originally slated to participate in the road race on August 3 at the Paris Games, which commence on Friday.
