The days that separate us from the departure of the Tour de France there are fewer and fewer of them, this year the Grande Boucle will start from the Basque Country. The finishing works continue, most of it is done now, there is no hiding. One of the favorites, along with the outgoing winner vingegaard, it's Tadej Pogacar (Instagram photo from DMT at the top). The Slovenian recently returned to racing after the injury he suffered in Liège, and immediately won the national time trial title.
Always on Sestriere
Pogacar stopped in Sestriere to improve his condition and his legs in view of the Tour., where we went to have a look a few days agoAnother careful eye on the Piedmontese roads led him Mattia Viel, who has been working with DMT for a few months.
«I've been in the DMT marketing group since January», says Viel. «Among my various tasks, I also carry out content creation activities for the agencies we work with. It's nice to stay in close contact with the professional world and the days spent with the athletes of the UAE Team ADQ and then with Pogacar were very stimulating."
What was it like to spend a day with a champion like pogacar?
It's a very nice thing, then I was focused on work, and at the time I didn't realize I was in contact with one of the strongest cyclists in the world.
What impression did it make on you up close?
From the screen he looks young, and he is, but once seen live it seems even smaller. He has a face naive but nevertheless has the characteristics to be number oneOne thing I thought about was how cycling makes you mature from a young age.
In what sense?
Pogacar will be competing for the Tour de France in a week, and you can see it in his gaze and in the attitude of the staff around him. His attitudes, however, are different, he is very helpful, he has an incredible calmnessWe followed him on a rest day, so he was more relaxed, but everything had to be well planned. Just two minutes too long at the top of Colle delle Finestre is enough to get sick and lose all the work done.
Any other things you noticed?
His legs have "fresh" muscles. He doesn't have the calves of a seasoned professional, where you can see the tense muscle or the veins standing out. On the contrary, it doesn't even have this impressive massBut then you think about what he does and you realize you're dealing with a champion. Oh, and there's more...
Tells…
Having run among the professionals It allows me to have a trained eye and I can appreciate the detailsI can tell how someone is feeling by the way they clip their shoe into the pedal or by the way they start. Pogacar seems to be in really good shape.
What did you do there in Sestriere?
Videos and content for products. We had a crew come to do some filming and take some photos: classic behind-the-camera videos, etc. I was lucky enough to observe him from the car, and I saw him calm and confident. He was pedaling really well, without any problems. However, I breathed the atmosphere in which you understand that something important is about to begin.Like the calm before the storm. What's striking is the serenity with which the approach to the most important race of the year is being experienced.
You were there for DMT, does Pogacar use any precautions for his shoes?
No, Tadej wears the KR SL, the model with the laces. No significant details can be seen with the naked eye, Maybe there could be some small precautions regarding the insole, many professionals do it.
Any funny stories from the day?
One, yes! The video crew also had two makeup artists, one of whom tried in vain to fit Pogacar's quiff into his helmet. He probably thought that the video would look better aesthetically., Tadej after a few attempts kindly pointed out to her that that tuft is his distinctive signIt's part of the Pogacar character, they are inseparable!
