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7/19/2025, 1:34:51 PM
(google translate)
>David de la Cruz, who was the Slovenian's teammate in UAE Team Emirates during the 2020 and 2021 seasons:
>"In the 2020 Tour there was a stage in which we failed as a team. We couldn't be with him as he deserved and he lost 1'30" to the favourites. That night, at dinner, we were all crestfallen. Suddenly Tadej arrives, sees us like this and blurts out: 'Who has died?' He told us to calm down, that the next day he would attack and make up time. And he did," De la Cruz explained, laughing. That was, according to him, the first warning that they were dealing with someone different.
>"Tadej is so good that he doesn't need the director to rack his head over strategies. The most important thing is that the team is well structured, well nourished, with the perfect material... and then let him do it. He has a brutal ability to handle pressure. He doesn't get upset when everything is going well and he doesn't sink when it's going badly," says De la Cruz, who has shared the squad with legends such as Froome, Geraint Thomas and Cavendish: "But none like him."
>For the Catalan, Pogacar is already more than a cycling reference: "He is not only the best cyclist I have ever seen, he is also one of the best athletes in history. Because it stands out in an era where the average level is very high. It is not the same to dominate now as it was 30 years ago. And he's also versatile: he beats you in Flanders, he attacks in a World Championship from afar, he comes second in Roubaix... There is no other like it."
>One of the aspects that De la Cruz values the most is how UAE has been able to interpret Pogacar beyond the watts: "He's a guy who needs to enjoy himself. And the team understands it: if he wants to go to Monaco to see Formula 1 before the Tour or to Roland Garros, they let him. If you need two days without touching the bike, that's okay. And that keeps him mentally fresh. Because, in addition, he trains delighted. Enjoy the effort."
>David de la Cruz, who was the Slovenian's teammate in UAE Team Emirates during the 2020 and 2021 seasons:
>"In the 2020 Tour there was a stage in which we failed as a team. We couldn't be with him as he deserved and he lost 1'30" to the favourites. That night, at dinner, we were all crestfallen. Suddenly Tadej arrives, sees us like this and blurts out: 'Who has died?' He told us to calm down, that the next day he would attack and make up time. And he did," De la Cruz explained, laughing. That was, according to him, the first warning that they were dealing with someone different.
>"Tadej is so good that he doesn't need the director to rack his head over strategies. The most important thing is that the team is well structured, well nourished, with the perfect material... and then let him do it. He has a brutal ability to handle pressure. He doesn't get upset when everything is going well and he doesn't sink when it's going badly," says De la Cruz, who has shared the squad with legends such as Froome, Geraint Thomas and Cavendish: "But none like him."
>For the Catalan, Pogacar is already more than a cycling reference: "He is not only the best cyclist I have ever seen, he is also one of the best athletes in history. Because it stands out in an era where the average level is very high. It is not the same to dominate now as it was 30 years ago. And he's also versatile: he beats you in Flanders, he attacks in a World Championship from afar, he comes second in Roubaix... There is no other like it."
>One of the aspects that De la Cruz values the most is how UAE has been able to interpret Pogacar beyond the watts: "He's a guy who needs to enjoy himself. And the team understands it: if he wants to go to Monaco to see Formula 1 before the Tour or to Roland Garros, they let him. If you need two days without touching the bike, that's okay. And that keeps him mentally fresh. Because, in addition, he trains delighted. Enjoy the effort."
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