On the day dedicated to the A&J agency celebrations, he was the most requested athlete, as it's always been the case - when Tadej Pogacar appears, the attention of all fans and professionals is immediately drawn. At the padel tournament organized by brothers Johnny and Alex Carera, he arrived as the defending champion, and needless to say, the goal was to reconfirm his title, but this year it was not an easy feat, and the Slovenian had to surrender to his opponents, at least with a paddle and ball. "At least you can beat me off the bike," someone says smiling, while Tadej lets out a laugh. "Unfortunately, this year the level has risen a lot, my colleagues are no joke - cycling is by far much simpler," he tells us.

Despite his elimination from the tournament, there's not a moment's rest for the Slovenian. There's a constant coming and going of fans, sponsors, and cameramen waving to get his attention. In the padel temple, the most popular sport seems to have become "discover Pogacar's calendar," with some making predictions, others hammering him about the Tour, while a foreign colleague proposes a game: "Would you give up a possible third world championship for Roubaix or Sanremo?" The answer is a smile. When it's our turn, the situation reverses, and he asks how we are. More than a month has passed since the Lombardy race, yet time seems to have flown, and it's already time to start again. But Tadej, have you at least had time to rest?

"When the season ends, it seems like there's plenty of time before starting again, but in a moment, here we are with the planning," he says. "Fortunately, I managed to rest well, I was with Urska, my family, my friends, but everything passed too quickly. It feels like I raced the Lombardy yesterday. Even without races, there are many things to do. One tends to start training earlier, wanting to anticipate everything, but resting is important and should not be underestimated." Tadej, who fortunately could take a handful of days away from the spotlight and the bike, a way to catch his breath, continues: "When planning a season, one thinks only about races, training days, and what one wants to achieve, but I believe one should never underestimate the off-season moment and rest between race blocks. Sometimes it's necessary to stop, take a moment to disconnect from everything. The ideal would be to find one's balance, but it's not easy. Many underestimate this aspect, not just cyclists, who want to run at all costs, but then risk burning out."

In 2025, Tadej surpassed 100 career victories, won his second world championship, fourth Tour, fifth Lombardy - a total champion who has practically won everything. Improving seems always impossible, but each season is an opportunity to improve, to go beyond oneself. Beyond training, the technique is simple: reset everything, don't focus on what has already been won but on what is still missing. The thought of Milan-Sanremo and Paris-Roubaix comes automatically, and in 2026 he will try to assault them again. "Feel the pressure to complete the monument classics at all costs? Honestly, no. Rather, I see those gaps as challenges, two reasons to commit myself even more. Perhaps if I had already won them, I wouldn't be as motivated as I am now. I'm aware of what I've won, but I believe that every year you need to start from zero. A new season is an opportunity to improve, to discover something more about yourself, both as a rider and as a person," Tadej continues, who has not yet defined his season's program and prefers not to commit too much. However, the key points are clear to everyone: Tour, World Championship, Sanremo, and Roubaix.

Seasons are becoming increasingly demanding, starting already in January and ending in October, not considering training camps. And if you're a world champion, commitments multiply exponentially. Requests for Tadej Pogacar are always numerous, with meetings with sponsors and the team, and time for oneself becomes increasingly scarce. "Seasons are increasingly demanding, and usually, I take advantage of the off-season to do things I couldn't do during the seasons. I don't hide that I would like to spend more time in my country and follow the growth of the cycling movement more closely. This year, I was very little in Slovenia, and I realize I disappointed many people waiting for me, but unfortunately, it was impossible. There were many things to do, meetings with all sponsors and authorities. Sometimes I don't even have time for myself. I admit, there's always a risk that all this is extremely stressful, which is why it's necessary to find a balance between what one would like and what one must do, with the awareness that the second option will always win. It's difficult, but it's all part of the game. The reality is that I can't be a cyclist forever, and one day, when I'm no longer a professional, I'll have plenty of time to enjoy everything I have to give up today."

Preparation for the next season has already begun. The team's training camp is set for early December, and soon the world champion's calendar will be defined in even more detail. In defining the program at UAE Team Emirates XRG, the presence of Isaac del Toro, whose star is becoming increasingly bright, cannot be overlooked. "Isaac is a great teammate, but above all a friend. I'm really happy with his journey; he's growing so much, and for me, he's done an incredible job. I'm happy to have him by my side and to be able to help him by bringing some of my experience. He's certainly not a shy guy and often asks me for advice, suggestions, asks questions, and it's nice to share all this with him. He's already a great champion, but I believe he will become much stronger." Tadej says this while portraying his teammate who has always put himself at his service, creating a truly perfect fit. We still have no official news about when and where we'll see the world champion debut, most likely not at the UAE Tour, and who knows, perhaps in Italy. "I would like to return to the Giro, not in 2026 but in the future, yes," Tadej tells us before saying goodbye. "But I will certainly race in Italy. There are classics like Strade and Sanremo, and then there's always the Lombardy. Beat my record of 5 victories? It wouldn't be bad, but there's still almost a year to go."