Pogacar cites Djokovic as inspiration to cope with Tour de France crowd hostility

Tadej Pogacar's lead at the Tour de France is already comfortable after twelve stages. The 27-year-old is heading for his fifth overall victory in France. Source: AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy

Tadej Pogacar's dominance at the Tour de France is no longer pleasing everyone. The superstar is facing headwinds, his team is being called the Mafia. The Slovenian is reaching into the psychological trick box.

Lance Armstrong once experienced it, and Chris Froome also had to deal with hostility – now, superstar Tadej Pogacar is facing boos at the Tour de France. While the Slovenian world champion had previously delighted cycling fans with his spectacular riding style and relaxed manner, his great dominance now seems to bother some spectators on the roadside. Banners reading "UAE Mafia" have also been spotted.

Pogacar took the new experience in stride.

"I always think of tennis – Novak Djokovic and the mental strength he has. He had one of the most difficult careers in this regard and had to endure many whistles, sometimes for no apparent reason, even though he is one of the greatest of all time. So when someone boos me, I think of Novak Djokovic and let myself be inspired by him."

In recent years, Pogacar has dominated cycling, likely only comparable to Eddy Merckx before him. His achievements include:

• Four overall victories at the Tour de France
• 24 stage wins
• Two world champion titles
• Dominance even in the classics, leaving little for his rivals

The 2026 Tour also seems already decided before the big Alpine stages. At the French Grand Tour, Froome last dominated similarly with four wins in five years. Armstrong's seven consecutive wins were later retroactively stripped due to doping. Both also experienced unpleasant moments on the roadside.

Pogacar's Fan Base Is Clearly in the Majority at the Tour de France

In the past, Mathieu van der Poel had to endure far greater hostility, especially at cyclocross races in Belgium. Some fans find it hard to bear that the Dutchman dominates the Belgian domain so much. Van der Poel has even been pelted with beer or urine.

Pogacar's fan base, however, remains clearly in the majority on the roadside.

"99 percent of people cheer everyone on. Cycling fans are the best in all of sports," says the Tour patron. "If someone boos me or anyone else, they are actually booing the entire peloton, because you can't really say who it's aimed at. We all ride past together."

Stage 12: Last Chance for the Sprinters?

This Thursday, the twelfth stage is on the agenda. On the route from Nevers to Chalon-sur-Saône, the fast men will do everything for a mass finish. After that, the Vosges and the Alps await, and it won't be all that flat until Paris anymore.

The stage started on the Magny-Cours race track, where Formula 1 record world champion Michael Schumacher triumphed eight times. After that, it goes 179.1 kilometers east to Chalon-sur-Saône. On the way there, three fourth-category climbs should not be too big obstacles for the sprinters.

In Chalon, the three German sprinters Max Kanter, Phil Bauhaus, and Pascal Ackermann are also hoping for a good placement – or maybe even more?

pk/dpa