Andrej Hauptman: Only the greatest champion is also an assistant

Andrej Hauptman, the sports director who has been present for all five of Tadej Pogačar's Tour de France victories, modestly deflects credit for the Slovenian cyclist's monumental successes. Hauptman, who rides in the first support car for the UAE team, insists that Pogačar's exceptional abilities are primarily the result of "mother nature and his caring parents, Marjeta and Mirko Pogačar."

Hauptman described Pogačar as "exceptionally calm," attributing this partly to the excellent atmosphere within the team. He noted that even when the team faced challenges, such as illness, the riders consistently encouraged one another. "There was no panic even once during the Tour," Hauptman confirmed, underscoring the strong camaraderie and resilience displayed by the UAE squad throughout the race.

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Tadej was exceptionally calm. Probably also because the atmosphere in the team was excellent. Even when we had problems with illness, the guys encouraged each other, there was no panic even once during the Tour.

His comments highlight a philosophy of shared success and a focus on the rider's intrinsic qualities and the team's supportive environment. Hauptman's perspective emphasizes that while his role as a director is important, the ultimate achievements stem from the cyclist's innate talent and the collective effort and positive dynamic of the entire team.

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Tadej is the best cyclist in the world, such as he is, mother nature and his caring parents Marjeta and Mirko Pogačar have made him.