CyclistI dont remember the last time I got my VO2 max tested: Tadej Pogaar Q&ACyclist: Youre not from a cycling background. How did you get involved in the sport when you were younger?Tadej Pogaar: My parents were playing a lot of amateur volleyball, and one of the people they played with each week was the coach at a cycling team for young boys called Radenska. He was great friends with my parents so he recruited my brother first and then I followed.Who were your cycling heroes growing up?I always just wanted to beat my brother. I looked up to everybody in the Tour de France. Id wish that I was on the start line with a cool bike, white bar tape, white shoes, white saddle and Oakleys. It was just this glamorous dream rather than having riders idolised on my bedroom wall. I was dreaming about being on TV, riding a bike.Youve now got four Tour titles under your belt. What would it mean to win a fifth Tour de France and equal the record of great legends before?It would just be another win for me. In my head I reset after every year, so Im always starting from zero mentally. If I win the Tour again, it would be just as good as the other four.How do you celebrate big results like a Grand Tour or Monument victory?The first time I won Flanders I lost three hours to podium ceremonies, doping control and media interviews. When I got back to the bus, half the team was gone. People had flights, went home or were recovering for the next race. We couldnt really celebrate, even though we had just won a Monument, so I got on a flight and went home.We win a lot with UAE Team Emirates-XRG and if we were to party after every race win I dont think we would win as often. So we congratulate each other and live in that moment with the adrenaline. In the last few years I have learned that this is enough.Is it any different after you win a Tour de France, for example?When it comes to the Tour, the celebrations are a little different. Were riding for three weeks, but theres also the staff, sponsors and organisers who want to have a day off after the Tour. We normally have a nice dinner in Paris and celebrate with the sponsors. Its a long night after the podium ceremonies and speeches. Its not like we can just go out and blow off some steam with the boys. Its still a formal celebration. The off-season is the time that we can actually relax and celebrate the season.You mentioned the length of podium ceremonies. If you could change one thing about professional cycling, what would it be?There are too many things. Podium ceremonies are really nice, but if you win you spend a long time talking with the media and getting extra attention. I had to do this so many times at the Tour de France with both the white and yellow jersey, it got really tiring.I cant think too deeply about these kinds of things otherwise I would just be complaining, and I dont want to complain because I have a good life in pro cycling. Related Posts Pro bike: Tadej Pogaar's 2026 Ronde-winning Colnago Y1Rs Opinion: Tadej Pogaars Milan-San Remo victory is his finest win yet We created the anti-Pogaar Tour de France route Tadej Pogaar interview: Light is the crown Many people are calling you the GOAT: the greatest of all time greater than Eddy Merckx. How do you feel about that?Ive stopped paying attention to it. Its getting annoying being compared to somebody who was racing back in the 70s. It just doesnt feel natural to me because I wasnt even alive then.I was born in 1998. It feels nice at first when somebody calls you the greatest of all time, but then again, everybody has their own opinion. There will always be somebody who praises you, and somebody who says youre shit. In the last few years I have started to mind my own business, so my mind isnt thinking about all this nonsense when I race. I try to stay away from social media because its much easier for me when I do that.Whats left for you to win?If I dont win anything else, I would be happy with my palmars. The main thing for me is that I can still enjoy the bike and enjoy racing. I want it to stay like this for the next few years. I think I could achieve these results for many more years, but there is no one particular race I still think I need to win.Who are your favourite riders to race against at the moment?I would say Mathieu van der Poel and Remco Evenepoel are my two favourite riders to race against, because theyre pure racers. They have such good character on the bike and they ride with so much passion. Thats what I really value. I cant only say them, though. I also like to race against all the sprinters and Classics riders, and Jonas [Vingegaard], of course. I think we have a good bunch right now.Theres so much talk about FTP and VO2 max these days. Do you know your stats?I dont know them. I dont remember the last time I got my VO2 max tested. As for my FTP, I find that a bit bullshit. Every coach and expert will claim it differently. My coach has a good way to assess how hard I should train. I follow that and dont mind about my threshold. Obviously those numbers will be high, but I couldnt tell you what they are.What do you want your legacy to be when you retire?Im not going to get grey hairs worrying about what people think about me after my career. But cycling has given me so much, so I want to give back with my foundation and the Pogi Team, which helps young riders. I hope people will see me as a good guy and not an idiot on the bike. I dont care if they remember what I win or not, I just want them to see me as a good person.The 2027 Tour de France will start in the UK? Are you looking forward to the British Grand Dpart?I havent seen the routes yet, but I think its going to be pretty cool. Ive heard some stories about last time and it sounded awesome. If I race the Tour next year I will be happy to be there.If you werent a pro cyclist, what would you be doing in your life right now?Id probably not be doing much of anything. I dont think Id be very successful at anything else, so Im really lucky to have cycling.How do you pass the time off the bike?Theres more and more coffee in my life. Its getting out of hand. I also really enjoy cars, but theres no time for that at the moment.The post I dont remember the last time I got my VO2 max tested: Tadej Pogaar Q&A appeared first on Cyclist.