The renowned cyclist Tadej Pogacar has been excluded from competing in the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics, according to a statement released by Slovenia's Olympic Committee on Monday.
Pogacar secured his third consecutive Tour de France victory earlier this month, earning him the distinction of achieving both Tour and Giro d’Italia doubles within the same year—a feat he is unable to partake in Paris 2024 due to fatigue concerns as expressed by Slovenia's national cycling team.
The committee announced that Pogacar will not participate, with Domen Novak stepping in to represent Slovenian interests at the Olympics. They commended Pogacar for his triumphant performance in France and anticipated his representation of Slovenia at the 2028 Los Angeles Summer Games.
The young cyclist has previously clinched victories in prominent one-day races such as Tour of Flanders, Giro di Lombardia, and Liège-Bastogne-Liège. Prior to this announcement, he was considered among the top contenders for the Olympic road race alongside Dutch competitor Mathieu van der Poel—a demanding 225km journey through Paris set to take place on August 3rd of this year.
It is worth noting that Ecuador's previous Olympic champion, Richard Carapaz, who won the mountain classification in this year's Tour de France, has been left out from participating as well.
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