Pogacar’s business manager ‘Alex Carera’ confesses that Pogacar has two stage races at the top of his checklist

2024 Belongs to Tadej Pogacar as He Continues His Winning Streak and Sets Sights on More Races.

2024 has undoubtedly been Tadej Pogacar’s year. The Slovenian rider from UAE Team Emirates claimed victory in every race he entered this season, with the sole exception of Milan-Sanremo. Among his triumphs are wins at the Giro d’Italia, Tour de France, Strade Bianche, Liège-Bastogne-Liège, and the Tour of Catalonia. According to his business manager, Alex Carera, Pogacar is determined to continue adding to his impressive list of accomplishments.

“I never get involved in race decisions, but Tadej occasionally asks for my input,” Carera told Cycling Today. “He sets a new goal or challenge each year. Two years ago, it was the Tour of Flanders; this year, it was the Giro d’Italia. Following that pattern, he has his eyes on two more races.”

The first of these is the Tour Down Under, where Pogacar previously competed but did not win. The second is the Vuelta a España. Pogacar made his professional debut at the 2019 Tour Down Under, finishing 13th in the general classification. Later that year, he secured third place in the Vuelta, claiming the white jersey and winning three stages.

Pogacar raced in Catalonia because he had not yet won in Spain.

Carera also revealed why Pogacar chose to compete in the Tour of Catalonia this year: “He wanted to win a multi-day WorldTour race in Spain, which he hadn’t accomplished before. He had raced in the Tour of the Basque Country previously but didn’t win. After securing third place in the Vuelta a España, the Giro and Tour took precedence this year, ruling out the Vuelta. Additionally, the timing of the Basque Country race didn’t align with his schedule, so Catalonia was the ideal choice.” The decision ultimately paid off with success.

As for Pogacar’s ultimate goal, Carera explained, “His dream is to win every race on the calendar. I’m confident he will eventually race in the Tour of the Basque Country, and I believe he will return to the Vuelta in 2025 or 2026. However, these decisions will be made with his team and closest advisors. There’s about a fifty percent chance we might see him at the Vuelta next year,” Carera cautiously predicted.