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5 months ago
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Tour de France champion Tadej Pogacar has admitted that the Slovenian federation's decision not to select his fiancee was a contributing factor behind his late withdrawal from the Paris Olympics.
On Monday, the Slovenian Olympic Committee said that Pogacar had pulled out of the Games because of 'extreme fatigue'.
The announcement was made less than 24 hours after he won his third Tour title in Nice, and ahead of the road race he was due to take part in on August 3.
However, he took part in a criterium race on Tuesday evening, before which, telling media that the decision not to select his fiancee Urska Zigart was part of the reason why he decided to pull out.
Speaking to Dutch broadcaster NOS, as per the Guardian, he said: 'It's not the main reason, but for sure it didn't help.
Tadej Pogacar (pictured with girlfriend Urska Zigart) has pulled out of the Paris Olympics
Zigart (left) had been omitted from the Slovenian cycling team for the Paris Olympics
Pogacar said Zigart's (pictured) omission was a contributing factor as to why he pulled out of the Olympics
His decision came less than 24 hours after he won the Tour de France
'I think she deserves a spot. She's the double national champion in road race and time trial.'
'She's the only woman cyclist that ever achieved top 10 in week-long World Tour races. She did great in the last two years winning points for Slovenia and, without her, they wouldn't have two spots in the (Olympic) road race.'
He went on to add: 'It is what it is, and now we can go on vacation together.'
Zigart and Pogacar first met at a cycling training camp in Slovenia.
The couple now live together in Monaco and announced their engagement in September 2021.
The 25-year-old posted a strong response online when the Slovenian Olympic team was announced earlier this month, writing: 'I am disgusted by the fact that Urska Zigart, a two-time national champion and the best Slovenian cyclist on the World Tour, has not been selected for the Olympic Games.'
Zigart had been expected to make the Olympics line-up following an impressive run of results this year, including a victory in the national championships road race.
The couple met during a cycling camp in Slovenia and have both enjoyed success
The pair got engaged in September 2021 and Pogacar said they can instead go on holiday
In that race, she finished 11 minutes ahead of second-place Urska Pintar - who has made the Slovenian team along with Eugenia Bujak - who did not race.
Zigart, as per the Guardian, said the selection decision had already been made last year and that she had received a message from national coach Gorazd Penko to explain his decision.
Pogacar was selected to ride in the men’s Olympic road race on 3 August, hoping to improve on his bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics, but is now expected to seek a rare triple crown by adding the world road race title in Zurich on 29 September, to his Giro and Tour titles.
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