For Tadej Pogačar — the young Slovenian who has already conquered the world’s highest peaks and cycling’s biggest stages — love is as simple and sincere as the way he rides. In a sport where numbers, watts, and tactics dominate headlines, Tadej has never hidden the human side that makes him such a beloved champion. One of the most genuine glimpses into that side comes when he talks about Urška Žigart — his partner, fellow cyclist, and, in many ways, his anchor.
Tadej and Urška are both elite athletes, but theirs is not just a story of power meters and podium kisses. It’s a story of quiet support, shared dreams, and the kind of understanding only two people who truly live the same life can have. Urška, a talented rider herself with Team Jayco AlUla, knows the sacrifices, the early mornings, the pain of defeat, and the euphoria of victory. And that is something that means the world to Tadej.
When asked what he loves most about Urška, Tadej rarely talks about results or races. He lights up about her laughter, her resilience, and the way she reminds him that there’s a world beyond the finish line. “One thing I love about her is that she’s always there for me, no matter if I win or lose,” he once said. For a rider who carries the weight of a nation’s hopes on his young shoulders, that simple, unwavering presence is priceless.
Their relationship is a testament to balance. While the world sees Tadej as the unstoppable force who dances up mountains and obliterates time trials, Urška sees the man who needs a warm meal, a word of encouragement, or just a smile when the cameras are off. In interviews, Tadej often credits Urška for keeping him grounded. “She makes me better,” he says. Not just as a cyclist, but as a person.
They train together when schedules allow, they joke about their cats, they plan getaways to switch off from the never-ending pressure of pro cycling. In a sport notorious for its lonely roads and sacrifices, they’ve built a little sanctuary together — a space where Tadej can be Tadej, not just the two-time Tour de France winner.
It’s easy to idolize a champion for their palmarès, but love stories like theirs remind us that greatness is not built on trophies alone. It’s built on who you come home to when the crowds are gone and the jersey is in the laundry basket.
So when Tadej smiles at the mention of Urška, you see a different kind of victory. A quiet one. A daily one. A reminder that behind every triumph on the road, there is a heart beating steadily for something more. And for Tadej Pogačar, that something more is Urška Žigart — the woman who rides beside him, believes in him, and loves him, watt for watt, pedal stroke for pedal stroke.
