Who is Tadej Pogacar? All You Need to Know About the 2025 Tour de France Winner

Tadej Pogačar has won the Tour de France in 2025, where he has again demonstrated his formidable capabilities and won the title in Paris. He cemented his status as one of cycling's all-time greats, clinching the 2025 Tour de France. This latest triumph adds to an already illustrious palmarès that includes three prior Tour de France titles (2020, 2021), a commanding victory at the Giro d'Italia (2024), and an impressive collection of Monument wins, including Liège-Bastogne-Liège (2021, 2024), II Lombardia (2021, 2022, 2023), and the Tour of Flanders (2024). 

BACK-TO-BACK POGI 🏆

Tour de France 2025 winner 💛#TDF2025
🖼️ @maximelth pic.twitter.com/2ct5BO9ga0

— Tour de France™ (@LeTour) July 27, 2025

His aggressive racing style, coupled with an uncanny ability to perform across diverse terrains, has captivated fans worldwide and redefined expectations for a modern Grand Tour contender.

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What was the Early Life of Tadej Pogacar?

Tadej Pogacar was born on 21 September 1998 in Komenda, Slovenia. He showed prodigious talent from a young age in his early cycling career. People saw him dominate in junior categories, and he quickly caught the eye of professional scouts. He joined the UAE Team Emirates development squad in 2018 and rapidly progressed, turning professional with the senior team in 2019.

Hauptman then started coaching Pogačar when he was a younger, developing rider. He immediately demonstrated his potential by winning the Volta ao Algarve and finishing third overall in his Grand Tour debut at the Vuelta a España. 

Career and Professional Ranks

His rookie professional season was nothing short of spectacular. Back in 2011, Andrej Hauptman, a famous cyclist himself who had won a medal at the Road World Championships, saw Pogačar racing. Before turning fully professional in 2018, he won a very important race for young riders called the Tour de l'Avenir, riding for Slovenia's national team, which showed he was a future star. When he joined the professional team UAE Team Emirates in 2019, Hauptman also joined the team as a sports director, continuing to work with him. Later in 2024, Tadej Pogačar made cycling history by winning three huge races in the same year. 

• The Giro d'Italia

• The Tour de France

• World Championships. 

Only two other male cyclists, Eddy Merckx (in 1974) and Stephen Roche (in 1987), had ever done this before. What makes him even more special is that he's the only rider to also win two other major one-day races, called "Monuments" (Liège–Bastogne–Liège and Giro di Lombardia), in the very same record-breaking year.

Grand Tour Dominance: The Tour de France Years

He followed his 2020 victory with another dominant performance in the 2021 Tour de France. At just 21 years old, he made history by becoming the second-youngest winner of the Tour de France. In both the 2022 and 2023 editions of the Tour de France, he faced strong competition, notably finishing second. In 2024, he decided to tackle the Giro d'Italia instead, conquering it with a commanding performance that included multiple stage wins. This completed the first part of his quest for cycling's rare double, where he won the Giro and Tour in the same year. His consistent top-tier results showcase his exceptional talent over the years.

Achievements and Accolades

Beyond Grand Tours, Pogačar has also excelled in the demanding one-day Monuments and showcased his extraordinary versatility. His victories at Liège-Bastogne-Liège (2021, 2024) highlighted his explosive climbing and tactical intelligence. His consistent domination of II Lombardia, with wins in 2021, 2022, and 2023, underscores his strength in hilly Classics. 

The crowning jewel of his Monument collection came with his victory at the Tour of Flanders in 2024, a testament to his ability to master the cobbled climbs of northern Europe which is a terrain vastly different from his usual strengths. He is an exceptional climber, a powerful time trialist, and possesses a strong sprint finish for a Grand Tour rider, making him a threat on almost any terrain.

Source: Wikipedia

What Makes Pogačar So Special?

What sets Tadej Pogačar apart is not just his wins, but how he achieves them. He rides with an infectious joy and an aggressive, attacking spirit that often leads to thrilling races. His ability to recover quickly and perform consistently at the highest level, year after year, speaks to his physiological prowess and dedication. 

At a young age, he has already achieved feats that many cyclists only dream of over an entire career, making him one of the most exciting and formidable talents in modern cycling. His continuous pursuit of major titles, exemplified by his Giro-Tour double attempt, keeps fans on the edge of their seats, eagerly anticipating his next challenge. Pogačar’s success across such varied disciplines points to a rare combination of physical gifts and mental fortitude. 

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His amazing talent was spotted quite early. Pogačar was much younger and smaller, but he was catching up to a group of much older teenagers who were far ahead. His remarkable performances served notice that a new star had arrived in the professional peloton.