Tadej Pogačar to skip Olympics road race

Tadej Pogačar will not take part in the Paris Olympics road race, it was announced on Monday.

The day after the Slovenian won the Tour de France, Slovenia's Olympic Committee announced that the three-time Tour champion would not start the road race, which takes place on 4 August, in under a fortnight's time.

Team Slovenia wrote on Twitter: "Men's Cycling Team Selector Unveils Names for Paris Olympics. Unfortunately, Tadej Pogačar will not be among them. He will be replaced by national team colleague Domen Novak. We wish Domen all the best and success. Once again Tadej, congratulations for Tour de France win!"

It was expected that the UAE Team Emirates rider would take part in the Olympic Games; he was originally named as part of the four-man team alongside Matej Mohorič, Luka Mezgec and Jan Tratnik. He would have gone to the race as an outstanding favourite, given his form at the Tour, where he won six stages. He also won the Giro d'Italia this year, taking six stages there as well. The Olympic road race looked like a course that would suit Pogačar, a former winner of the Tour of Flanders.

In his press conference on Sunday evening, Pogačar hinted at taking a break from racing ahead of the World Championships, but did not confirm or deny that he would be racing the Olympics.

"I’m super tired, thanks for caring," the 25-year-old said. "That’s why I think I need a little bit of rest now after the Tour. I want to see a bit of family, friends, stay with Urška [Žigart, his partner] to recharge the batteries, because the last four months was full gas. There was so much time away from home. I’m tired. 

"In December, you make the programme, which races you want to do. I try to focus on the Giro first, and I didn’t have many race days before, quite few actually, so it was a good balance with two grand tours. I didn’t do too much racing, and it helps also if you have good legs."

Pogačar expressed a desire to challenge at the World Championships, which this year will take place in Zurich, Switzerland, in September. He will not be racing the Vuelta a España, the only Grand Tour he is yet to win.

There was controversy in Slovenia's cycling selection for the Olympics when Žigart  was not selected for the road events, despite being national champion in both the road race and time trial.

The Liv AlUla Jayco rider wrote at the time: "Didn’t expect this to reach the highs it did. I have come to terms with the decision a long while ago. It is not my intention to force participation at all. Especially, because I don't think I want to race somewhere where they don't appreciate me and to be with people who only put me down.

"But I am allowed to express my disagreement with being left out of the selection and to point out the inexistence of actual objective criteria in the selection process."