Tadej Pogačar’s Historic Victory Further Cements Slovenia’s Status as a Global Cycling Powerhouse; Reception in Paris Honours Slovenian and French Cyclists
Published:
28.7.2025
Tadej Pogačar’s Historic Victory Further Cements Slovenia’s Status as a Global Cycling Powerhouse; Reception in Paris Honours Slovenian and French Cyclists
The achievements of Tadej Pogačar and Primož Roglič, who have carried Slovenia’s name to the top podiums of cycling races across the globe over the past half-decade, continue to boost the visibility of Slovenia as a cycling powerhouse. The Slovenian Tourist Board (STB) collaborates with both ambassadors of the Slovenian tourism, Pogačar and Roglič, at the world’s most prestigious cycling event – the Tour de France – where a number of promotional activities inspire millions of active holiday enthusiasts.
Special digital campaigns, storytelling about Pogačar and Slovenia as a top cycling destination, social media content and features in leading international media have brought Slovenia into the spotlight among millions of cycling fans. Today, a celebratory reception took place in Paris to mark the conclusion of the Tour de France, dedicated to both Slovenian and French cyclists. As part of the event, the STB is once again highlighting Slovenia as an attractive destination for active holidays.
Slovenia Achieves Unprecedented Exposure at the World’s Biggest Cycling Race
The 2025 Tour de France has been a showcase of Slovenia: even before the race began and throughout the Tour, Pogačar and Roglič dominated headlines and social media posts across Tour de France platforms. The race boasts incredible reach, with over 13.7 million followers across various platforms, and is broadcast in 190 countries around the world.
MSc. Maja Pak Olaj, Director of the Slovenian Tourist Board:“Congratulations to Tadej Pogačar for his exceptional victory and to Primož Roglič for his top ranking at this year’s Tour de France! I’m proud and grateful that STB works with both athletes, who are ambassadors of Slovenian tourism. Their success helps us showcase Slovenia as a destination for active experiences in the most beautiful and effective way. For years, STB has been spreading the message of Slovenia to the world together with Tadej and Primož. Their personalities and sporting journeys are interwoven into many of our promotional activities, engaging millions and inviting people to discover green, active and healthy Slovenia. We look forward to continuing this partnership and further strengthening Slovenia’s reputation as a top destination for active adventures. Sincere congratulations also go to the passionate and determined Matej Mohorič and Luka Mezgec.”
Posts and Articles About Pogačar’s Win Reached Hundreds of Millions of Cycling Fans
Through stories of Pogačar’s and Roglič’s outdoor adventures in Slovenia, especially during their high visibility at the Tour de France, the STB adds value for a wide range of Slovenian tourism stakeholders. In partnership with the international TV network Eurosport, STB promoted Slovenia as a compelling destination for active holidays during the Tour of Slovenia, as well as during the Giro d’Italia and Tour de France.
During the Tour de France, STB launched a special digital campaign that brought together fans of Pogačar, Roglič and sports lovers on social media. In total, STB produced more than 100 posts that generated over 1 million views and more than 750,000 user interactions. Key markets included Slovenia, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the Visegrad countries. Additionally, STB encouraged users on Facebook and Instagram (Feel Slovenia) to participate in a giveaway for a yellow I feel Slovenia jersey, generating over 600 comments. Through keyword tracking tools, more than 70,000 social media mentions of Pogačar and Roglič related to the race and Slovenia were recorded – contributing to a 400% increase in reach and generating a total of 410 million impressions.
When Slovenian cycling star Tadej Pogačar claimed his fourth Tour de France victory, the news made international headlines within less than an hour – further reinforcing Slovenia’s image as a cycling superpower. Numerous top global media outlets covered both Pogačar and Slovenia, including BBC (reach: over 450 million users worldwide), USA Today (over 100 million monthly views), NBC Sports, The Guardian, The Independent (each with more than 60 million monthly readers), The New York Times (over 9 million subscribers), Olympics.com, CBC, Toronto Star, Anchorage Daily News and numerous U.S. local outlets (WHEC, WDHN, Sun Chronicle etc.). The estimated combined potential reach from these media outlets exceeds 700 million readers, viewers and online users.
On the official tourism portal slovenia.info, a story about Tadej Pogačar,a story about Tour de Franceand the story about Pogačar's cycling adventures in Slovenia recorded over 7,000 page views during the Tour de France (5 – 27 July 2025) – a 388% increase compared to the previous period. Most views came from France, Slovenia, Germany, Italy, Spain and Austria – exclusively through organic or direct visits. At the same time, the STB ran a campaign titled “From Slovenia. With Love.” highlighting Pogačar’s favourite Slovenian spots, which attracted around 40,000 visits to the landing page.
The Tour de France enhances Slovenia’s image as a top cycling and outdoor destination. The "I Feel Slovenia" brand is further highlighted through its association with Pogačar and Roglič as tthe ambassadors of Slovenian tourism. The country is increasingly recognized in Tour de France coverage as a land of natural beauty, endurance and excellence – boosting its global visibility and image.
Photo: Alen Milavec; illustrated by: Nina Kurnik
Reception in Paris Celebrates Slovenian and French Cyclists
On 28 July 2025, a reception is being held at Maison de la Chimie in Paris to mark the end of the Tour de France, honouring Slovenian and French cyclists. The event brings together high-level guests, institutional representatives, media and athletes. Hosted by the Slovenian Ambassador to France, Renata Cvelbar Bek, and the French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs' Ambassador for Sport, Samuel Ducroquet, the event will also feature a speech by Slovenian Prime Minister Dr. Robert Golob.
As part of the reception, STB is promoting Slovenia as a top tourist destination while strengthening its position as a global cycling nation. More than 30 journalists and travel agents are attending, including representatives from major French media outlets such as Le Parisien, France TV, France 24, Reuters and Le Monde, alongside Slovenian media and prominent figures from the cycling world.
Reception in Paris honours Slovenian and French cyclists at the Tour de France finale
Attending the event are top Slovenian cyclists Primož Roglič and Matej Mohorič, French cyclist Lenny Martinez and other cycling figures such as Milan Eržen, Andrej Hauptman and Pavel Marđonović.
Guests will enjoy a selection of Slovenian dishes prepared by chef Grega Repovž, recipient of a Green Michelin Star and the Gault & Millau Best Sommelier award.
Prime Minister Submits Letter of Intent to Host Grand Départ of Tour de France in Slovenia
On Sunday, 27 July, ahead of the final stage in Mantes-la-Ville, Prime Minister Dr. Robert Golob presented Tour de France Director Christian Prudhomme with a letter of intent for Slovenia to host the Grand Départ in 2029.
In his statement to the media, Prime Minister Golob emphasized the significance of the letter: “It is with great pride that we have presented our letter of intent, expressing Slovenia’s ambition to host the Tour de France Grand Départ in the coming years,” he said, adding that discussions currently center around 2029. “We’ve covered a lot of ground, including presenting a brochure with proposed routes. The organizers were impressed with how prepared we are and I’m confident we’ll find common ground and make it happen,” Golob noted.
The Prime Minister also emphasized how popular the Tour de France is among Slovenians: “We were told Slovenia has a higher viewership percentage than even Belgium – second only to France. Given the success of our cyclists, that’s no surprise.”
He stressed the broader impact of hosting the Tour: “Slovenia is now a cycling nation thanks to the achievements of our athletes – both men and women. The next generation is already rising. Hosting such an event would significantly raise Slovenia’s global profile and showcase the country’s beauty. It would bring benefits to tourism and create direct economic opportunities,” said Golob.
He also briefly outlined the proposed routes, developed in cooperation with the Slovenian Cycling Federation and the Tour of Slovenia organizers: “In line with Tour de France preferences, one route is mountainous – featuring the Vršič Pass. Another is a longer, lowland route through Dolenjska. The third would feature sprint segments in cities and would likely take place in Ljubljana,” concluded Prime Minister Dr. Robert Golob, who also wished Slovenia’s cyclists the best of luck in the final stage.
The Government of the Republic of Slovenia adopted the decision on the letter of intent to host the Tour de France Grand Départ on 17 July 2025, expressing Slovenia’s desire to welcome one of the world’s most prestigious sporting events.
Source: The Government of the Republic of Slovenia
Tadej Pogačar to Host Unique Cycling Challenge on Home Soil
The ambassador of Slovenian tourism and one of the greatest cyclists of all time, Tadej Pogačar, is inviting fans to a special end-of-season sporting event – S klanca v klan’c – POGI CHALLENGE. The challenge, taking place on 12 October 2025, will link Komenda and Krvavec, the symbolic location of Pogačar’s first-ever victory. Supported by the STB, the event will blend sport, fun and charity – promoting Slovenia as a world-class cycling destination in a creative and engaging way.
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