Staff Reporter.
Tour de France winner Tadej Pogacar has pulled out of the Olympic Games because of “extreme fatigue”, the Slovenian Olympic Committee has said.
Pogacar complted victory in this year’s Tour by taking Sunday’s final stage, which was a time trial, to win the illustrious 3,498km race for a third time.
The Games start in Paris on Friday and the 25-year-old was scheduled to take part in the road race on 3 August.
“Unfortunately Tadej Pogacar has cancelled his participation because of a state of extreme fatigue,” said Slovenia’s Olympic cycling coach Uros Murn.
Pogacar added his 2024 Tour win to victory in the Giro d’Italia in May, as he became the first man to win cycling’s two biggest races in the same year since Italian Marco Pantani in 1998.
When asked about the Olympics on Sunday, he remained very evasive, preferring to mention his “dream” of one day wearing the rainbow jersey of world champion.
At the worlds in September in Zurich, the Slovenian is aiming for a triple of the world title, the Giro and Tour, only held by two men, Ireland’s Stephen Roche and Belgian Eddy Merckx.
Pogacar will be replaced on the national team by Domen Novak. “Once again Tadej, congratulations for Tour de France win!” Team Slovenia said.