Pogačar receives warm welcome in Ljubljana, Komenda

The world's number one cycling star arrived in Ljubljana's Congress Square on his bike, accompanied by his youth team, the Pogi team. They drove together from Vikrče in Medvode, accompanied by police and greeted by fans already along the way.

A huge crowd of fans greeted Pogačar with a big applause in Congress Square. "Everything is easier when you have people around you who believe in you and when you have fans like I have. Thank you all for coming, you're the best," he said.

A member of the Pogi Team asked him on stage if he hears cheering when he is racing. "Sometimes all you hear is screaming, sometimes your ears hurt, but this gives you a lot of energy. Sometimes someone gets too close. But without the fans, this sport would be pretty boring."

The crowd went wild when he was asked whether he is thinking of winning all three three-week races. Although he did not give a straight no, he said he would not be after this feat this year. "No pressure, please. But thank you, because you all think I can win this ... The body needs rest, the head needs rest," he said, adding that his first priority now is to take a break from competition.

But he is already setting his goals for autumn. "I'm not hiding the fact that I want to wear the rainbow jersey. But wanting is one thing, winning is another," he said about the World Championships in Zurich at the end of September. "I am also challenged by races that don't suit me, I want to win on every terrain," he added.

A number of guests honoured Pogačar on stage, including head of the Slovenian Cycling Federation Pavel Marđonović, UAE Team Emirates sports director Andrej Hauptman, President Nataša Pirc Musar and Ljubljana Mayor Zoran Janković. "I don't know if Slovenians realise what it means to win the Tour three times and what it means to win the Giro and the Tour in one year. Congratulations and thank you, Mr Pogačar!" said the president.

"He makes cycling look so easy ... What I particularly like is his playfulness on the bike. He knows how to joke around, he even knows how to sprinkle his fiancée with water in the middle of a stage. But first and foremost he is a great man, an inspiration for young Slovenian athletes," she added, handing Pogačar a gift, a special coffee with his name and a Turkish-style coffee pot, and he gave her a yellow and pink jersey from the races he won in return.

This is the second reception for a Slovenian cyclist in Ljubljana in just over a year, as last June Primož Roglič was greeted by fans in Congress Square after winning the Giro.

Pirc Musar wished him a speedy recovery after a crash at the Tour and Pogačar said he was extremely proud to have succeeded him at the Giro. "I never thought that two Slovenians would win this trophy one after the other. It's every cyclist's dream and Primož and I have it," he said.

The cycling star also received a warm welcome in his home town Komenda, where Slovenian fans were joined by those from Croatia, Italy and even France.

"I was really tired for two days after the Tour and I had a lot of obligations today, but now I know I'm home, in Komenda, and this gives me additional energy," he told the press after the reception.

"I imagine my holiday days passing with no obligations. Taking casual bike rides with Urška, having a good lunch, taking a casual afternoon, resting most of the time and spending time with the people who are close to me, because this gives me energy," Pogačar said.

He said he plans to spend a few days in the mountains and a few days on the coast, probably the French Riviera. "Both my body and my head need rest," he said.

He could not avoid a question about doping from a French agency reporter. "There is always someone who will doubt. The history of doping in cycling is ugly, but WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency) and UCI (International Cycling Union) have invested a lot in regular controls. I think cycling is one of the cleaner sports and I would dare to say that this is the best period in cycling's history," Pogačar said.