Pogačar like Federer: the comparison by Giannetti, general manager of UAE Emirates XRG

Tadej Pogačar is a generational talent. His victories prove it, but so does his attitude, both during races and before/after them. Praising him and telling his story was Mauro Giannetti, general manager of UAE Emirates XRG.

Here are some of his most interesting statements given to RIDE Magazine, especially about the early stages of Pogačar’s career, from his first meeting with the Slovenian to the comparison with Roger Federer.

THE FIRST MEETING – “Our sports director, Matxin Fernández, had been following him for some time. I met him after his victory at the 2018 Tour de l’Avenir and we signed our first contract with him at that moment. You could immediately see the charisma of that boy. He was only 19 years old, but he knew exactly what he wanted. He knew he could become a champion, but you couldn’t see any arrogance in him.”

THE ‘COMPARISON’ WITH FEDERER – “At the time he was a bit overweight, he had at least 4 kilos more than he does now. But on long climbs he was already beating everyone. We had expectations, of course, but at that moment we wouldn’t even have dreamed that Tadej would become what he is today. However, he conveyed a kind of energy that reminded me of my first meeting with Roger Federer: we met as athletes at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, and when I spoke to him I felt something special. With Tadej, it was the same.”

THE FIRST TOUR – “Handling a Tour de France victory at that age might not be easy, but that success didn’t change Tadej at all. He didn’t start feeling like the king of the world and he didn’t immediately buy a Ferrari. The first thing he thought about was winning the next Tour as well, to prove he deserved that victory. He’s not interested in being a star or being popular. He’s interested in winning big races.”

HIS ABILITY – “After a race, he’s able to shift his focus to the next one and to the opportunities ahead of him. This also reminds me of Federer: they are champions who don’t need to act like stars, they simply are. They don’t seek attention and they don’t constantly think about bigger houses, cars or luxury watches. They simply do what they know how to do.”

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