"He wants to win everything, I respect him a lot for that," Tour de France winner Pogačar discusses Djokovic
On Sunday, July 27, Slovenian cyclist Tadej Pogačar won the Tour de France for the fourth time in the last six editions, following his previous victories in 2020, 2021, and 2024.
The heavy favorite of the 2025 edition, he maintained his dominance all the way to the Champs-Élysées and entered the exclusive circle of riders who have won the Grande Boucle at least four times, joining Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault, Miguel Indurain, Jacques Anquetil (each with five wins), and Christopher Froome (four wins).
After the final stage in Paris, Pogačar spoke on France Télévisions about his victory but was also asked about potential similarities with Novak Djokovic, the living tennis legend, and his mentality of always wanting to win everything in his sport, much like the Serbian player:
"I’m a bit different from Novak (Djokovic). I don’t have the same personality. He’s so strong mentally. The crowd puts so much pressure on him that it fuels him. He’s truly exceptional both physically and mentally.
He has a winner’s mentality, and he wants to win everything—I respect him a lot for that. I truly believe he’s the greatest tennis player in history. But me, I’m different, I don’t have the same drive as him," the Slovenian affirmed.
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