Sunday was a warm autumn day in Cittadella, a small medieval walled city in Veneto, Italy. 

Lots of people were crowded along the finishing straight, waiting for the riders of the first edition of the UCI Gravel World Championships to pass by. 

Suddenly a buzz could be heard, "Look! there's Pogačar!" "Tadej! Tadej!" We looked up into the crowd and we could see a huddle of people, many children, and a lot of fans. Some wanted a photo, some an autograph. Tadej - on the heels of his Giro di Lombardia victory - tried to please everyone. 

Quietly he arrived at the hospitality area, he greeted us, had a chat with UCI President David Lappartient and at the end - after watching the race finale together with us - gave us a quick interview.

Hello Tadej, this time you had to follow a race from the street instead of taking part in it. How was it to watch the first Gravel World Championships as a fan? 

Well, it was a fantastic race. I think that this kind of racing - gravel racing - will for sure grow in the future. For me, today it was really fun to be here as a fan.

Let’s talk about the future of gravel. Do you think that is going to be a separate discipline - gravellers doing gravel and roadies doing road racing - or like today, a cross in between the two categories?

Well, today we saw many athletes coming from road racing, they can bring much to the final. But… yeah, I think that in the future this is going to change. The gravel will evolve more, more people will start to practice it and so - I think - in a couple of years there will be separate winners for gravel and road races.

It’s a really nice format of racing, I like it. 

So, one question that comes naturally: do you consider the idea of doing some gravel races in the future?

Yes, I would like to do it, I wish I could do it already this year but I couldn’t. We will see… I hope I can participate in the future.

You started winning in February, and you ended winning in October: a very long season. How was it for you, did you enjoy it?

Yeah, of course, I think this season was incredible. From February till October I was always there, in the top five, so I am really happy. It was almost the perfect season, so I think it’s gonna be hard to do it again the year coming but… I will do my best, of course, to replicate it. 

Thank you! And now, will you take some time to rest or do you have something planned?

I will do some stuff - * laughs with a smirk* - I will rest, and I will start to train again.