In a Tour that has had its share of fans getting in the way and causing crashes, it’s good to remember that some are causing moments of relief. Amid all the chaos that is the Tour de France, sometimes it’s easy to miss the gems. But someone in Tadej Pogačar’s entourage found a sign that stood out.
During Saturday’s stage, a girl on the side of the road held a cardboard sign that she could barely see over. It read, “Tadej, if I take a picture with you, my dad buys me a rabbit!!” And Pogačar obliged. She got the photo, surrounded by other adoring fans and one Tadej Pogačar.
The photo has since gotten plenty of attention, including being reposted by UAE Team Emirates, and the Tour de France Twitter account. It also made CyclingWeekly’s list of top rest day tweets. What else is there to do on rest days than swoon over our heroes?
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Pogačar, 24, (also known as Urška Žigart’s boyfriend) has gained popularity during this year’s tour for his humor and seeming nonchalance. The UAE Team Emirates rider, who is currently wearing the white jersey and is just 10-seconds behind Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma) in the GC standings, seems to be enjoying himself in France.
Pogačar can be found on social media perfecting his pronunciation of various French pastries. And for his first rest day a week ago, he was sure to carb up with his favorite snack.
Whether you’re on Team Jonas or Team Pog, it’s refreshing to see the riders having a good time, celebrating with their fans, and embracing the whole experience of the Tour de France. Six more stages to go!
Micah Ling is a freelance writer who lives in the mountains of Colorado. She splits her free time between mountain biking and trail running.