Luka Mezgec after his third victory

Every day we’ll learn more about the names on the 2022 Tour of Slovenia. In addition to world’s number one, Tadej Pogačar, we expect more stars on the Slovenian roads and of course Slovenian matadors who are shaping the very top of road cycling racing. Luka Mezgec already won in Ljubljana (2017) and Celje (2019) and has a chance to make it a three.

The organizer has confirmed the participation of 22 teams in total: 4 WorldTour teams, 7 ProTour teams, 10 UCI Continental teams and Slovenian national team.

Luka Mezgec with again race with his Australian team BikeExchange-Jayco, known for great representation of different nations. If the preliminary start list is true, fans will also see their star sprinter Dylan Groenevegen.

Dutch cyclist has won twice on Saudi Tour earlier in the season, with his breakthrough season being 2019 when he won 17-times (at the time riding for Jumbo-Visma). He also won four stages on Tour de France! Slovenian Luka Mezgec helped Dylan with many of his victories and of course we now whish that they would swap their roles.

It would be amazing to see another victory by Luka on the Slovenian roads. Two years have passed since his double victories on Tour of Poland; in this season he took second on Saudi Tour, just behind Maxim Van Gils.

We wish and hope that he’ll put his name on the list of riders with three victories on Tour of Slovenia, joining Steihauser, Pollack, Nose, Nibali & Roglič. He’ll look for his opportunities on the first stage with finish in Postojna, second stage that ends in Rogaška Slatina and of course on the last day in Novo mesto.

Slovenian fans would be thrilled to see sympathetic and always combative Luka win. If he succeeds, we will celebrate together, but if he fails, we will pay homage to him anyway. For everything that has already contributed to the success of Slovenian cycling and for everything that he will in the future. There is no doubt about that. We believe and trust him.

Janko Hrovat

Photos: BikeExchange-Jayco website