Imagine lining up at the starting line, heart pounding, knowing that in just moments you’ll be racing against one of the greatest cyclists of all time. That’s exactly what happened to me—and hundreds of other amateurs—when we got the chance to ride alongside Tadej Pogacar, the four-time Tour de France champion. But here’s where it gets controversial: how much of a head start is fair when you’re pitting everyday riders against a world-class athlete? And this is the part most people miss—it’s not just about the physical challenge; it’s a humbling lesson in what separates the pros from the rest of us.
The invitation arrived just three days before Pogacar defended his title in the men’s World Championship road race. It promised an opportunity to cycle with the world’s best, but there was a catch—a big one. To join Pogacar, we had to tackle the brutal climb from his hometown of Komenda to the summit of Krvavec, one of Slovenia’s most notorious mountain ascents. We’re talking 15 kilometers of relentless climbing, with an average gradient of 7.6% and sections that spike well over 20%. For Pogacar, this is just another day at the office. For us? It’s a test of willpower, endurance, and sheer determination.
But who hasn’t daydreamed about how they’d fare against the very best? That’s why, on a crisp Sunday morning, I found myself standing behind the start line in Komenda, surrounded by fellow amateurs. Pogacar, decked out in his iconic rainbow jersey, was right there with us. The atmosphere was electric, but the nerves were palpable. Dave Goddard, a Brit living in Slovenia, summed it up perfectly: ‘My main goal is to avoid humiliation.’ Anja Licen, a local rider who won her spot in a radio contest, echoed the sentiment: ‘I just hope I’m not the last one.’
Then there were Sandra Burtscher and Michael Mangeng, an Austrian duo sporting matching Pogi-endorsed white bikes. They looked the part, but Sandra admitted she was ‘nervous about racing with so many people,’ while Michael joked that he’d only expect to see Pogacar ‘for a short time.’ Spoiler alert: he was right.
We were given a vague head start of ‘a few minutes,’ but it didn’t take long for Pogacar to do what he does best—catch and pass us with ruthless efficiency. In my case, he breezed by within the first 2 kilometers. To put it in perspective, I’m no stranger to cycling, but my recent rides have been more about commuting on a vintage Japanese ‘mamachari’ shopping bike or chasing Strava segments on the way back from school drop-offs. Road biking? I hadn’t done that in decades, and I only had two weeks to prepare.
My friend Mark Koghee, a former sporting director for a pro women’s team, called my endeavor ‘quite stupid.’ His advice? ‘You can’t improve your fitness in two weeks. The only thing you can do is prepare your body for the shock. Climb as much as you can, so the pain on race day isn’t as brutal.’ Another friend, Marin Medak, lent me his drop-bar bike to practice. When I asked if I could make it up Krvavec on his wheels, he deadpanned, ‘Yes—if you put an electric engine in it.’
Spoiler: I didn’t have an electric engine. But I did make it to the summit, 53 minutes after Pogacar. Speaking of Pogacar, he wasn’t the first to cross the finish line. That honor went to Andrew Feather, a 40-year-old lawyer from Bath who’s won the British Hill Climbing Championship four times. Feather’s strategy? ‘I set a high tempo early, dropped the others, and soloed to the top.’ Simple, right? Except Feather is one of the few riders to finish ahead of Pogacar this year—a once-in-a-lifetime achievement.
‘Pogi is up there as the best ever,’ Feather said. ‘That’s why I did it—to say I’ve shaken his hand and got the trophy from him.’ After the race, Pogacar was in high spirits, joking, ‘You can’t win them all,’ at the mountain-top celebration. But even after a season where he’s dominated the Tour de France, World Championships, and multiple ‘monument’ races, it’s clear the 27-year-old’s hunger for victory hasn’t waned. ‘If you love what you do, motivation shouldn’t be difficult,’ he said. ‘I’m pretty open for everything.’
But here’s the real question: Does giving amateurs a head start against a pro like Pogacar level the playing field, or does it just highlight the insurmountable gap between us and the elite? Let me know what you think in the comments—and if you’d ever dare to take on Krvavec yourself.
