Tadej Pogačar Withdraws from 2024 Paris Olympics
Nice, July 22, 2024 – Fresh off his victory at the Tour de France on Sunday, July 21, Tadej Pogačar has announced that he will not participate in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The Slovenian National Olympic Committee cited fatigue as the primary reason for the withdrawal of their star cyclist.
Despite being a strong contender for a gold medal in Paris, Pogačar will be replaced by his teammate Domen Novak.
“Unfortunately, Tadej Pogačar will not be part of the Olympics due to fatigue,” stated the committee. “He will be replaced by Domen Novak, to whom we wish all the best.”
Additionally, the decision may be influenced by the exclusion of Pogačar’s fiancée, Urška Žigart, from the Olympic team, a move that had deeply disappointed him.
After his Tour de France win, Pogačar hinted at his aspirations for the World Championships rather than the Olympics.
He aims to achieve a rare feat in September in Zurich: the triple crown of winning the Giro d’Italia, the Tour de France, and the World Championships in the same year, a milestone only achieved by Stephen Roche and Eddy Merckx.
The road cycling events at the Olympics are scheduled for July 27 (time trials) and August 3-4 (road races).
Pogačar had previously secured a bronze medal in the road race at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.
