Inside Tadej Pogacar’s secret Tour de France weapon that was 3D printed for him alone
EXCLUSIVE Tadej Pogacar looks to be on the road to a fifth Tour de France title – and Daily Star Sport has a closer look at his secret weapon
Tadej Pogacar is the man to beat in France this summer(Image: Getty Images)
When Tadej Pogacar blasted off to ‘Planet Pog’ for his latest exploit on the fearsome slopes of the Col du Tourmalet, he did so without having to get out of the saddle.
It was Stage 6 of the 2026 Tour de France and Pogacar, alongside his young lieutenant Isaac Del Toro, had already distanced every rider hoping to deny him a record-equalling fifth yellow jersey.
By the time the Slovenian crossed the finish line, his challengers were scattered across the Pyrenees. There were still more than two weeks remaining, but the race already looked all but over.
Tadej Pogacar has already won four stages at the 2026 Tour de France(Image: Pool Tomas Sisk/Belga/Shutterstock)
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That seated acceleration has become one of Pogacar’s trademarks. But behind it lies years of refinement – not just in training, but in every component of his bike.
One of those is his saddle. Pogacar’s pursuit of marginal gains can be traced back to his crushing defeat at the 2023 Tour de France.
After conceding more than seven minutes to Jonas Vingegaard on the Col de la Loze, the Slovenian left the race determined to improve every aspect of his performance.
“It was September 2023, the first time I talked to UAE and to Tadej about the technology,” Alex Locatelli, Fizik’s Brand Manager, told Daily Star Sport .
This Tour, Pogačar has been using Fizik’s custom One-to-One saddle, a 3D-printed design built around his individual pressure map and riding position.
The technology allows a more comfortable ride, due to the saddle being moulded to the athlete – unlike other saddles that act as a one-size-fits-all – which, in turn, allows more power to be pushed through the pedals.
Tadej Pogacar is using the One-to-One saddles in France(Image: Francesco Rachello / Tornanti.cc)
Locatelli, who joined the Italian saddle brand in 2019, explained how Pogacar and UAE Team Emirates XRG “were very open to working with us”.
However, the journey to the top of the WorldTour for Locatelli’s idea wasn’t straightforward: “Whenever you bring something so innovative, riders are always sceptical.”
The idea for the One-to-One project was born from Adidas trainers – who were using similar technology in their midsoles. But Locatelli admitted: “We didn’t know anything about 3D printing technology.”
He teamed up with digital manufacturing company Carbon and travelled to California, where he spent three weeks learning about the technology.
And upon realising 3D printing could “create different zones within the same saddle and the same padding”, it quickly transformed the way Fizik viewed saddle design.
Locatelli continued: “We wanted to create something unique for every rider, in different positions, on different bicycles.
Alex Locatelli explained the technology to Daily Star Sport
“Because the same rider can create different pressure based on the geometry of the saddle or based on how they’re sitting on the bicycle. This is the technology that allowed us to do that.”
However, convincing professional cyclists proved difficult: “They thought it wasn’t possible. They’d say, ‘I just need a lighter saddle, a harder saddle’, whatever they wanted.
“Finally, with the right teams, the whole mindset changed quite a lot, especially when we started sponsoring UAE. They were very open to understanding technology…
“As soon as they saw riders like Tadej using it, they were constantly asked for it themselves. Now they understand the potential of the technology!”
The biggest difference is the shift from performance to comfort: “If you don’t have comfort, you don’t have performance because you’re not able to sit on the saddle. You’re moving, you’re feeling pain!”
Today, the technology is used by everyone from amateur racers to Tour de France champions, with Locatelli revealing one rider who once insisted on having no padding has since become a convert.
Fizik’s One-to-One saddles are all custom 3D printed for the riders
“Making a saddle comfortable isn’t only about performance. It’s about forgetting about the saddle, being healthier and being able to focus on other aspects of training!”
Pogacar, who is now on the cusp of a fifth Tour, has been using them in France – with Locatelli admitting he has “nine or ten”.
“I would say we’ve had a great relationship since even before signing the contract. I think there’s a mutual partnership between us and we constantly share our ideas about saddles.
“He’s also very knowledgeable about all the components on his bicycle!”
