In a significant development in professional cycling, Slovenian cyclist Urška Žigart is set to join the AG Insurance-Soudal women’s team in 2025. This move was confirmed by Patrick Lefevere, the team’s manager, in his column for Het Nieuwsblad. Žigart, who currently rides for Liv AlUla Jayco, is not only recognized for her prowess on the bike but also as the fiancée of two-time Tour de France winner Tadej Pogačar.
Lefevere humorously addressed the couple’s professional trajectories, stating, “Should I tell you a secret? Pogačar’s fiancée will be riding for our women’s team next year. Pogačar himself will follow later,” before clarifying, “To be clear: Urška is coming; Tadej, of course, isn’t. Apparently, they don’t want to ride in the same team.”
Žigart, 27, began her professional career in 2020 with Alé BTC Ljubljana before transitioning to BikeExchange, now Liv AlUla Jayco, in 2021. She has secured the Slovenian national time trial championship four times and, notably, clinched the national road championship this year.
The announcement of her move to AG Insurance-Soudal comes amid discussions surrounding Žigart’s exclusion from the Slovenian Olympic team. She has publicly criticized the selection process, suggesting that personal biases influenced the decision over merit-based criteria.
On the men’s circuit, Tadej Pogačar is gearing up for the 2025 season after a stellar 2024, where he achieved victories in the Giro d’Italia, Tour de France, and the World Championship. During a recent paddle tennis tournament in Monaco, organized by his agent Alex Carera, Pogačar jestingly remarked about Žigart’s capabilities, suggesting she could outpace fellow cyclist Remco Evenepoel with ease.
The couple, who have been together since 2019 and got engaged in September 2021, continue to support each other’s careers while maintaining individual professional paths. Their relationship exemplifies a harmonious balance between personal and professional commitments in the demanding world of professional cycling.
As Žigart transitions to AG Insurance-Soudal, fans eagerly anticipate her contributions to the team and the potential for new dynamics in women’s cycling co
mpetitions.
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