Tadej Pogacar: What it is like for an newbie to race towards the very best

On a contemporary Sunday morning in Komenda we gathered behind the beginning line alongside Pogacar himself, resplendent in his world champion’s rainbow jersey.

A fellow Slovenia-based Briton, Dave Goddard, confirmed that his important purpose was “to avoid humiliation”. Local rider Anja Licen, who obtained her ticket to experience by a radio competitors, echoed that sentiment, including: “I hope that I won’t be last.”

Austrian associates Sandra Burtscher and Michael Mangeng definitely regarded the half, with their matching, Pogi-endorsed white bikes. But Sandra mentioned she was “nervous to be racing with so many people”, whereas Michael admitted that, whereas it was “great to go up the same mountain at the same time as Pogacar”, he was solely anticipating to see the champion “for a short time”.

So it proved.

After giving us our head begin, Pogacar started to do what he has spent all season doing to his skilled opponents: decide us off with ruthless effectivity.

In my case, he cruised previous throughout the first 2km.

For context, I’m not a complete stranger to biking adventures, however extra just lately my regular driving is round city on an outdated Japanese “mamachari” purchasing bike, or hitting Strava segments on the return leg of the college run.

But I had not ridden a highway bike in a number of many years and had solely had two weeks to arrange, with a pal of mine – former sporting director at a professional ladies’s crew Mark Koghee – saying my proposed endeavour “could be quite stupid”.

He gave me some recommendation about the best way to put together, telling me: “There’s not much you can do. You can’t improve your shape – the only thing you can do is prepare your body for the shock that is waiting. Try to climb as much as you can in that period, so that on the day of the event, the shock isn’t that big.”

Another pal, Marin Medak, kindly lent me his drop-bar bike so I might get used to driving one. I requested him if he thought I might make it up Krvavec on his wheels.

“Yes,” he mentioned. “If you put an electric engine in it.”

That was not an possibility, so ultimately I made it to the summit a mere 53 minutes after the good man.