According to the Slovenian Olympic Committee, Tadej Pogacar, the Tour de France winner, has been ruled out of the 2024 Olympics in Paris following a gruelling three-week stage race.
According to a committee statement, Pogacar, who won his third Tour de France, was passed over due to exhaustion.
Pogacar and Dutchman Mathieu van der Poel were among the favourites for the Olympic road race on August 3.
"The national coach of the men's cycling team has revealed the names of the riders who will compete at this year's Olympic Games in Paris." Tadej Pogacar will not be among them because he is too weary, according to the Slovenian Olympic Committee.
Tadej Pogacar was FLYING on the Tour de France time trial descent! #TDF2024 pic.twitter.com/OjibvxbB8X
— NBC Sports Cycling (@NBCSCycling) July 22, 2024
Domen Novak, a comrade on the national squad, will take his position.
"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 became the first rider to complete the Giro d'Italia and Tour de France double since 1998. His ability to succeed in one-day races with high hills, however, made him a prominent contender in the Paris road race, a demanding 225-kilometer track through and around the French city.
Pogacar has won the Tour of Flanders, the Giro di Lombardia, and Liege-Bastogne-Liege, all one-day classic events.
Many cyclists peak at the end of the Tour and carry their form into the Olympics. Ecuador did not choose defending champion Richard Carapaz, who won the mountains classification in this year's Tour de France.
Also Read: The top 10 athletes with the most Olympic medals
Give Your Feedback