Tadej Pogačar reigns supreme ahead of Tour de France: ‘The shape looks good, the team looks good’

This article originally appeared on Velo News

Tadej Pogacar took a second consecutive GC victory at the Tour of Slovenia.

In addition to winning the general classification ahead of UAE Team Emirates teammate Rafal Majka and Bahrain-Victorious' Domen Novak, Pogacar also took victory on the final stage into Novo Mesto.

Pogacar beat Matej Mohoric in a match sprint after Pogacar, Mohoric and Majka escaped with ten kilometers to go Sunday.

"I feel great," Pogacar told VeloNews. "It was an amazing week, amazing race and yeah, brilliant teamwork, brilliant stages and atmosphere. It was all incredible. And I’m super, super happy to take also today the win and the green jersey."

Also read: Pogacar fires warning to Tour rivals with dominant win at Slovenia

However today's chaotic and hilly stage, which seemed like the perfect target for riders such as Mohoric, wasn't originally a target for the team, Pogacar told the press, but things fell into place.

"We didn’t think at the start to go for the stage, so that’s why we didn’t pull,” he said. “We let other teams control the race, but in the end, Bahrain started to put the pressure on in the final climb and I decided not to follow their pace, but counterattack. And in the end we were just three guys, which was for me was perfect in the end."

In addition to the general classification, Pogacar came within the top-three in four of the five stages of the Tour of Slovenia in an absolutely dominant showing.

He won Sunday’s stage as well as stage three on the climb into Celje castle. The display proves that the two-time Tour de France winner is ready for the Grand Depart in Denmark.

"Here in Tour of Slovenia it was everything except the super big climbs, cobbles, crosswinds. So still a lot to cover in three weeks in the Tour de France, but yeah the shape looks good. The team looks good,” he said. “I hope it stays like this until the Tour and that we will have the same mentality, like here in Slovenia."

Pogacar will forgo the Slovenian national championships originally on his calendar at the beginning of the year. His next appearance will be at the Tour de France.

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