Exuberant Pogacar struggles to contain his excitement due to the German "long-necked creature"
In the heart of the 112th Tour de France, Slovenian cycling sensation Tadej Pogacar has once again donned the world's most famous cycling leadership jersey, marking his 42nd time wearing it, starting Saturday. Pogacar's impressive performance has been bolstered by the support of his teammates, particularly German cyclist Nils Politt, who has been a crucial part of UAE Team Emirates XRG since last year.
Pogacar, the reigning world champion and defending Tour de France champion, praised Politt for his exceptional work during the race. On Stage 6, after Ben Healy's solo victory, Pogacar acknowledged Politt's crucial role in the race dynamics, highlighting his contributions in managing attacks and pacing on challenging sections of the route.
Politt, known for his strong performances in road racing, particularly in the Tour de France, has been recognised for his aggressive riding and key efforts in breakaways and team strategies. His contributions were evident on the last two hilly stages, where he led the main field for hours, setting the pace that propelled Pogacar to success.
Pogacar referred to Politt as "one of the best premium helpers" in the world, reflecting Politt's value as a strong and reliable teammate who helps control the race's tempo and supports the team's overall strategy. This teamwork and effort have been especially vital given Pogacar's ambition to secure his fourth Tour de France title.
Meanwhile, Pogacar's teammate, Tim Wellens, currently wears the polka-dot climber's jersey. Another unique rider in the team, as praised by Pogacar, has been instrumental in the team's success.
In the individual time trial, Pogacar finished second behind Remco Evenepoel from Belgium, a double Olympic champion. However, Pogacar's second stage victory of this year's edition underscores the difficulty competitors may have in preventing him from securing his fourth victory.
Nils Politt, who won a unique Tour stage in 2021, expressed his desire to help Pogacar win the Tour de France again. After Pogacar's second-place finish in the individual time trial, Politt confirmed that everything is going according to plan.
As the race continues, the successful collaboration between Pogacar and Politt, along with the rest of the UAE team, promises to make the 112th Tour de France an exciting competition to watch.
Cycling continues to be one of the sports that Pogacar dominates, with his impressive performance in the Tour de France highlighting this. In particular, the collaboration between Pogacar and his teammate Nils Politt in this year's edition of the race has been critical to Pogacar's success, as Politt's aggressive riding and key efforts in team strategies have significantly contributed to Pogacar's ambition of securing his fourth Tour de France title.
