Tour de France winner Tadej Pogacar ruled out of Paris Olympics 2024

NEW DELHI: Tour de France champion Tadej Pogacar has been omitted from the Slovenian Olympic team for the upcoming Paris 2024 Games. This decision was announced by the Slovenian Olympic Committee on Monday, citing the cyclist's fatigue following his gruelling three-week stage race victory at the Tour de France.
Pogacar, who secured his third Tour de France title on Sunday, was initially considered one of the favourites for the Olympic road race scheduled for August 3rd, alongside Dutch rider Mathieu van der Poel.
However, the Slovenian Olympic Committee stated that due to the physical toll of the Tour de France, Pogacar will not be among the riders representing Slovenia in Paris.
The committee's statement read, "The national coach of the men's cycling team revealed the names of the riders who will compete in this year's Olympic Games in Paris. Tadej Pogacar, being too tired, will not be among them." Instead, Pogacar's national team colleague, Domen Novak, will replace him in the Slovenian Olympic squad.
The committee acknowledged Pogacar's remarkable achievement of winning the most prestigious cycling race in the world, saying, "He will be replaced by his national team colleague Domen Novak. We congratulate the winner of the race across France for another victory in the most prestigious cycling race in the world, and we hope that he will represent the colours of Slovenia at the upcoming Summer Olympics in Los Angeles in 2028."
Pogacar's exclusion from the Paris 2024 Olympics is a significant development, as he had emerged as a top contender for the gruelling 225km road race course in and around the French capital.
His ability to excel in one-day races with steep hills, coupled with his recent victories at prestigious events like the Tour of Flanders, Giro di Lombardia, and Liege-Bastogne-Liege, had positioned him as a formidable force in the Olympic road race.
It is not uncommon for riders to peak around the end of the Tour de France and carry their wave of form into the Olympics. However, the physical and mental demands of the three-week Grand Tour have taken a toll on Pogacar, prompting the Slovenian Olympic Committee to prioritize his recovery and future endeavours.
Notably, the defending Olympic road race champion, Richard Carapaz, who won the mountains classification at this year's Tour de France, was also not selected by Ecuador for the Paris 2024 Games.