Pogačar's yellow jersey helps raise EUR 47,000 at charity auction

The signed yellow jersey, possibly Pogačar's only one given that he secured it in the penultimate stage of the Tour, ended up in the hands of a bidder from the DIY chain Bauhaus, a long-standing supporter of the initiative.

He offered EUR 45,000, tying the record sum pledge by the same bidder a few years ago for the skies of ski jumping ace Peter Prevc.

The auction was organised by public radio station Val 202, which is one of the sponsors of Botrstvo, a long-running charity project that focuses on helping children through sponsorships and donations.

The funds will be set aside for youngsters who are talented but lack the financial means to develop their athletic abilities, Val 202 said on Friday.

Botrstvo has organised several such charity auctions before, most notably after Slovenia won the Eurobasket in 2017.

Last year, another Slovenian cycling star Primož Roglič, who finished second in this year's Tour, contributed the red jersey he secured as the overall winner of the Vuelta. The jersey fetched EUR 30,000 for the project, just like the sneakers of Slovenian NBA sensation Luka Dončić.

The Botrstvo project also helps other children, over 10,000 in total, and has collected over EUR 17 million in donations in the past ten years.