Pogacar responds to transfer rumors surrounding him and shares his thoughts on Roglic's move

Tadej Pogacar clinched his third consecutive victory in the Tour of Lombardy while representing UAE-Team Emirates on Saturday. Following his triumph in Lombardy, the ever-friendly Slovenian graciously spent time in Bergamo's beautiful provincial palace to provide the press with updates on his victory, his 2023 season, and the contract situations of both himself and his compatriot Primoz Roglic, who is set to join BORA-hansgrohe.

Clearly satisfied with his performance in Italy, Pogacar emphasized the multifaceted nature of his success. He acknowledged that success in races like these requires a combination of mental strength, physical prowess, and good fortune. This victory marked the third consecutive year that he had claimed the Tour of Lombardy title.

When asked about his 2023 season, which featured seventeen victories, including notable wins in the Tour of Flanders and Lombardy, Pogacar described it as a "weird" season. He attributed this assessment in part to a significant injury he suffered during Liège-Bastogne-Liège, which made his journey to the Tour de France a race against time.

Reflecting on his season, Pogacar characterized it as unique and expressed his plans to unwind during the offseason alongside his girlfriend, Urska Zigart. He mentioned his intention to explore new activities during the winter while simultaneously preparing for the upcoming season at his own pace, one step at a time, maintaining his role as the leader of the UAE-Team Emirates.

Pogacar on his own contract situation and Roglic's

There have been recent rumors circulating about Pogacar's future at UAE-Team Emirates. GCN reported that INEOS Grenadiers had inquired about him with his manager, Alex Carera. Subsequently, La Gazzetta dello Sport reported that UAE was considering extending his current contract, which runs until 2027, to 2028 or 2029 to ensure he remains with the team at least until the 2028 World Cup in Abu Dhabi.

When asked about these rumors in Bergamo, Pogacar addressed them by saying, "This is not the time to think about my contract. I still have a long commitment with UAE Team Emirates, and I feel super good with the team, with which we have become the best team in the world for the first time." Pogacar was referring to the UCI World Ranking, where UAE-Team Emirates is currently ahead of Jumbo-Visma, despite the Dutch team's three grand tour victories. He added, "Since the beginning of the year, we were already working on that. There are still some races, so we still have to finish it. I'm going to watch that with crossed fingers," mentioning the Tour of Turkey and Tour of Guangxi, among others.

With Roglic's departure next year, Jumbo-Visma will lose many points in that ranking. For IDLProCycling.com, Pogacar was asked about his thoughts on his compatriot's transfer to BORA-hansgrohe and what it might mean for next year's Tour. Pogacar responded, "Anyway, it's interesting to see what has happened, but I think with the different strong teams, it could be very exciting in the Tour de France and other races." However, he concluded by saying, "But for that, we will have to wait until next season," as his focus was primarily on his offseason in Italy.