The four-time Tour de France winner highlights the "cycling paradise" offered by the island and assures that he will return
Maspalomas, November 28, 2025 – Slovenian cyclist Tadej Pogačar, one of the leading figures in the international peloton and four-time Tour de France champion, held a press conference as part of the Gran Canaria 365, where he shared his impressions after his first few days of training on the island. The athlete made no secret of his enthusiasm for the conditions he has found and his desire to return.
“The first few days have been very good, and we’ve had some great training groups. I’ve really enjoyed it; Gran Canaria is a paradise for training,” said Pogačar, highlighting both the quality of the routes and the atmosphere among the cyclists who participated in the training sessions. “It’s been wonderful riding on these roads; I’ve really enjoyed it,” he added.
The Slovenian explained that his main objective during this visit is to get to know the island and prepare for the upcoming season. “It’s my first time here, and I want to explore Gran Canaria and start training with next season in mind,” he said.
Although he hasn't yet finalized his competitive schedule for next year, he indicated that things will become clearer in the coming weeks. "We haven't discussed next season's schedule yet; we'll probably have a clearer picture by December," he commented, adding that while "it's difficult to combine the Vuelta a España with the Tour de France, I will do the Vuelta a España someday."
's potential Gran Canaria as a venue for major professional cycling events: "Several stages of the Vuelta a España could be held here on the island, it could host two or three stages of a Grand Tour event."
Regarding his philosophy as a cyclist and the evolution of his motivation, he reflected: “A cycling career isn't very long, but you have to stay motivated. Motivation changes over the years, the pressure is different, and each year you try to maintain the same results as the previous year.”
The Slovenian also had some words of encouragement for the local cyclists: “They have everything here: good weather all year round, good roads, and little traffic. They need to get out, ride, and have fun to improve; it's not always about going out with the idea of improving, it can simply be about going out to enjoy themselves.”
Finally, Pogačar hinted that this will not be his only visit to the island: “There is a good chance that I will return to Gran Canaria because this week is going by very quickly and I have had a great time.”
Gran Canaria 365 is an initiative created by DG Eventos and promoted by Turismo de Gran Canaria through Gran Canaria Tri Bike & Run, with the aim of consolidating a sustainable development model around sport, nature and the privileged climate of the island.
