Tadej Pogacar on Tour de France: I've never felt so good on the bike

“Winning the Giro d’Italia was an incredible experience, one that I will always cherish. It meant a lot to me as it was my first time at the Giro. To win in the way we did, it was one of my biggest wins so far. I was happy I got to celebrate with the team, they were with me for the three weeks and the training camps before. They mean a lot to me, we’re like a family and it was a special moment with them. I really enjoyed it, it was incredible.”

“After the Giro I relaxed a little bit and ate some good food, but I had some stuff to do around home, so I was back in Monaco quite soon after the Giro ready to slowly get ready for the Tour. I was actually quite eager to get back on the bike. The first week I did a few days of easy riding to the coffee shop and back to home. It was nice. I then started to feel good quite quickly and did some good training soon after the Giro.”

“It’s really important to switch off from time to time. The mental recovery is really important as is the physical recovery. You need to find the balance, and sometimes you just need to be off the bike. I like to switch off by hanging out at home with friends and I also like to go for ice cream or a nice dinner. After the Giro I watched a lot of good series, the time was passing quickly, and I was then refreshed and ready to prepare for the Tour.”

“I’m really looking forward to the start of the Tour, it’s going to be a special start for me because I won the Giro, and the Tour starts in Italy, so it’s going to be amazing. It’s looked like I’ve made a step forward since the Giro, and my shape is even better than what I expected. I’ve done some good training, and I’ve tested my legs a little bit and to be honest, I have never felt so good on the bike. I’m