Urška Žigart had to talk Tadej Pogačar into staying in the Tour de France
The Slovenian was on the verge of quitting
Urška Žigart was there for her boyfriend on one of the early days of the Tour de France when Tadej Pogačar wanted to drop out.
On the same day Pogačar was dropped by Jonas Vingegaard on the Col de Marie Blanque during Stage 5, Žigart had to quit the Giro d’Italia Donne. She suffered a concussion and withdrew from the Italian race.
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Even though she herself was in a rough spot, the Slovenian made sure to send positive vibes to Pog.In an interview with Dutch outlet, NOS, Zigart said the two-time TdF champion was feeling very low, and unsure if he could go on.
“He called me after the stage to ask me how it went. I told him it wasn’t over. Then he asked me why not and I got worried right away. He told me, ‘I want to go home.’ So I told him, ‘no, you are not going home, this is the Tour.’”
She also said that although his wrist is better, it’s still not 100 per cent. “He feels it all the time. But his freedom of movement is good enough for sprints,” she said. “Then you have to bend your wrists. One wrist is much more flexible than the other.”
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When the Tour made its way east, coming closer to the couple’s home in Monaco, Žigart was able to see him for the first time since the race began.
“He likes that he is closer, that we can see each other, even if he has to wait two hours for a five-minute hug,” she said. “You recharge your battery if you can talk to someone about something else, not just cycling.”
Despite Pogačar having some good digs at Vingegaard as the race continued, everything went sideways in the final week. Pog would lose the time trial by 1:30, and then was dealt the final blow in Stage 16, losing six minutes.
Although Žigart would love for her fiancé to win the Tour, her primary concern is his safety.
“For me, the most important thing is that he finishes safe and sound. I don’t want him to be in danger on the descents. The normal worry you have when someone you love is driving 100 km/h,” she said.
