It is necessarily a Mauro Gianetti Any smile that presented itself at the microphone of Cyclism’Actu This Sunday evening on Champs-Élysées to return to the fourth coronation of Tadej Pogacar on the Tour de France under the colors of the team UAE Team Emirates-XRG. Faced with the Emirati training bus, the Cup of the Slovenian winner in his hands, the general manager spoke of his pride and his emotion in front of this new triumph which already calls others … with in a corner of the head the ambition to integrate next year with the world champion the famous “club of the five”, only Bernard Hinault, Eddy Merckx, Jacques Anquetil et Miguel Indurain component (for the moment) this closed circle of the quintules victorious of the Large loop.
What does this cut (the trophy of the winner of the Tour de France)?
Carry Champs-Élysées with this cut, it was an immense emotion. But I'm just going to keep it warm for Tadej Pogacar later (laughs). It represents a lot, because there is behind a lot of passion, efforts, work, sacrifice, whether on my part, my family, all the people who believed in me, our sponsors … and especially the chance to have a champion like Tadej Pogacar in the team. It is true that we discovered it, that we thought that it would go far … but it is even better than anything we could imagine. It is great to be here in Paris for the fourth time with the winner of the Tour.
Now that it is there, we must now enter the club of the Five?
Since we are there, why not yes. We will try at least. It will be as always a challenge, because our opponents are numerous and stronger. This year we have still succeeded, but we will have to come back, because aiming at the five Tour de France is a good goal.
What is your feeling, at the end of the Tour de France?
It is a feeling of inner joy and peace. Because it is still something in which we put so much passion. It makes me happy, because I see everyone's joy in the team, we are a family. We work with respect for everyone, and that's why it works and it works well. Everyone loves themselves. Seeing the runners, but also the staff, the sponsors, and the royal family who arrived on the fields on Sunday congratulate us is something immense. It's strong, and it is not really useful to describe it or exteriorize it.
There is a feeling of pride in having discovered this nugget that is Tadej Pogacar?
Yes … it's not bad.
Tadej Pogacar did not stop repeating it, it was the Tour de France in his career, he ended very tired. The question therefore arises: will it be on the Vuelta in a month?
We will see in the coming days, we must think well about the future of Tadej Pogacar. It can be a solution, but we really have to think about it. We will decide in peace in a few days.
