To many cycling viewers, the rise of Primož Roglič and Tadej Pogačar may feel like it came out of nowhere. Longer-term cycling fans might remember the years of Tadej Valjavec and Jani Brajkovič as the first time Slovenia registered for them on the world stage of cycling. But the reality is, Slovenian cycling has been around for a long time, as long as cycling itself. In this first part of a two-part series for The Cycling Podcast, Kate Wagner shares her travels to Slovenia where she tracked down recent stars like Matej Mohorič, Primož Roglič, and Jani Brajkovič, long-retired ex-riders you may have never heard of such as Cantino Tollo rider Martin Hvrastija; historians, journalists and more to find the answers to the question we're all asking: how did Slovenia get to the highest echelon of professional cycling? In addition, Wagner mixes this account with history, culture, travel writing, and literature in order to paint a rich picture of Slovenia, her second home.

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