Tadej Pogačar is only 26 years old but is now aiming for his fourth Tour de France victory. He has a resting heart rate of 37, a sky-high VO₂ max, and is also an experienced cross-country skier. Here are the key stats behind his incredible performances.

Tadej Pogačar is the clear favorite for the overall victory in this year’s Tour de France. The 26-year-old from Slovenia is riding the famous three-week race for the sixth time and is going for his fourth overall win.

He claimed his first overall victory in 2020, when he made his Tour de France debut at just 21 years old. He won again the following year. In 2022 and 2023, Danish rider Jonas Vingegaard took the title, but last year, Pogačar reclaimed the yellow jersey.

So far, only five riders in the history of the Tour have more overall victories than the young Slovenian: Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault, Jacques Anquetil, and Miguel Indurain each have five, while Chris Froome has four. Pogačar currently has a total of 17 stage wins.

The 2025 Tour de France started in Lille, in northern France, on Saturday, July 5.

See below for facts about the Tour de France.

Skilled cross-country skier

In addition to his cycling career, Pogačar is an experienced cross-country skier. During last summer’s Tour de France, he was seen multiple times posing with Johannes Høsflot Klæbo, who attended several stages alongside his sponsor, Uno-X.

Also Read – Cycling for skiers: A valuable tool for summer training

Here are the key stats that explain the Slovenian’s insane performances:

37
Pogačar’s resting heart rate: 37 beats per minute. His maximum heart rate exceeds 200.

89.4
Pogačar reportedly has a tested oxygen uptake (VO₂ max) of 89.4 ml/kg/min, according to Rouleur. By comparison, Bjørn Dæhlie had a VO₂ max above 96. Most male cross-country skiers range between 80 and 90, while females average between 70 and 75.

Also Read – Changed training: Increased VO2max from 71 to 81.5 in half a year

64.5
Standing 1.77 meters tall, Pogačar entered last year’s Tour de France with a body weight of 64.5 kg. In the winter, his weight increases to 69 kg. Incidentally, he is two centimeters taller than his Danish rival Jonas Vingegaard.

120
Tour de France riders consume approximately 120 grams of carbohydrates per hour. Previously, it was believed that 60 grams was the maximum amount the body could absorb.

340
Pogačar can sustain 340 watts for five hours over hilly terrain.

415
Pogačar’s FTP (Functional Threshold Power) is 415 watts, according to data he shared this winter. FTP represents the power a rider can maintain over a one-hour period. Try it yourself!

8,000
The number of calories Tour de France riders consume on the toughest days of the race. That’s roughly equivalent to 76 bananas.

Read More: How can Ski Classics Pro Teams learn from cycling teams?

Here are some additional numbers and facts:

8,000,000
Pogačar earns over 8 million euros per year.

The Slovenian has a yearly salary of 8 million euros from his team UAE-XRG until 2030. He also has a 200-euro buyout clause, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport.

2,500
Pogačar has over 2,500 KOM (King of the Mountain) titles on Strava — despite not sharing all his training data on the platform.

Colnago V4Rs
Pogačar’s team, UAE-XRG, is sponsored by the Italian bike brand Colnago. The cycling star rides a V4Rs Dura-Ace Di2 — a mass-produced all-round racing bike.

However, Pogačar’s bike is far from standard: It includes Enve SES 4.5 wheels with Continental GP5000s TR tires, an integrated Enve SES Pro Team stem and handlebar, 165mm crank arms, CarbonTi X-CarboRing EVO chainrings, and Di2 sprint shifters positioned under the brake levers for gear changes while riding in the drops.

FACTS: Tour de France 2025
Who: 23 UCI WorldTour teams with up to eight riders each
What: Stage race over 21 days, plus two rest days (July 15 and 21)
Where: France, starting in Lille and finishing on the Champs-Élysées in Paris
When: July 5 to 27
More information: Letour.com

Also Read: Czech talent who swapped skis for road cycling

Are you interested in training for long-distance and traditional cross-country skiing? Click HERE and read more about it.