Tadej Pogačar
Tadej Pogačar needs no introduction. Many have called him not only the world's best cyclist today, but the best cyclist in history. Born in the small town of Komenda, just outside Ljubljana, he began cycling before he was tall enough to properly fit in his bike. He joined his local club at nine years old, often riding with children older and stronger than he was, but somehow he always managed to stay in front.
A decade and a half later, that same boy would become one of the most complete cyclists the sport has ever seen. His rise was meteoric in 2019, at just 20 years old, he won three stages of the Vuelta and finished on the podium. Since then, he has dominated every type of race. Humble, but unstoppable, calm, yet ambitious, grounded in simplicity and joy. In a sport once dominated by the French, Italians, Belgians, or Spaniards, this young Slovenia has taken center stage and is still there.