IN BRIEF
Tadej Pogačar was filmed on Friday 23 October training in the streets of Monaco, in heavy traffic, alongside Josh Tarling (Netcompany INEOS). The footage, shot by a young cyclist, Noah Alfrink, and posted on Instagram, shows him overtaking a bus and weaving between cars. After going viral over the weekend, it drew criticism of the Slovenian for riding seen as reckless, but also some defenders.
Pogačar in Monaco, in the traffic
On his usual Monte-Carlo roads, Pogačar rides fast, in the jersey of his UAE Emirates-XRG team. The footage shows him switching lanes, skimming past buses and coming within inches of the bumpers of moving cars. In one clip, he goes round the outside of a bus to enter a turning lane, at a point where the road curves to the right and visibility narrows.
Noah Alfrink, who was riding on his wheel, also took a selfie with him. He described it as “Unreal pacing” and joked in his caption: “Guys, I found some cyclists in Monaco. I don’t know who they are but they look pretty strong.”
Reckless or at ease: the video divides opinion
Reaction online is sharply divided. Critics speak of reckless riding and a lack of respect for safety; others defend the Slovenian’s manoeuvres. The cyclist who was filming is not spared either: some comments see it as the latest example of fans “cyclo-stalking”.
Above all, the footage confirms that Pogačar has resumed intense training after the crash that ended his season at the Vuelta a España. He suffered a concussion, a broken collarbone and an injury to his cervical vertebrae there, before undergoing shoulder surgery. He is due to rejoin his teammates in Abu Dhabi, where the team will celebrate his fifth Tour victory at the Abu Dhabi Cycling Festival on 31 October.
