Tadej Pogacar’s Tour de France yellow jersey sold for charity

UAE Team Emirates rider's contribution to help athletes from underprivileged families in Slovenia

UAE Team Emirates rider Tadej Pogacar of Slovenia, is seen wearing the overall leader's yellow jersey, and Deceuninck-Quick Step rider Sam Bennett of Ireland, wearing the green jersey, before the official start. REUTERS

Slovenian rider Tadej Pogacar (L) of UAE-Team Emirates wearing the overall leader's yellow jersey and Irish rider Sam Bennett (R) of Deceuninck Quick-Step team wearing the best sprinter green jersey greet each other before the start of the 21th stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 122 km from Mantes la Jolie to Paris, France. EPA

Slovenia's Primoz Roglic, left, who lost his overall leader's yellow jersey to Slovenia's Tadej Pogacar, right, gets a hug during the twenty-first and last stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 122 kilometers (75.8 miles), from Mantes-La-Jolie to Paris, France. AP Photo

Italy's Elia Viviani wears a face mask reading "No To Racism" as he arrives for the start of the twenty-first and last stage of the Tour de France cycling race. AP Photo

Slovenian rider Tadej Pogacar of the UAE Team Emirates, bearer of the Yellow T-shirt waves from the podium before the start of the 21st and last stage of the Tour de France 2020 cycling race over 122km from Mantes-La-Jolie to Paris, France. EPA

Team UAE Emirates rider Slovenia's Tadej Pogacar wearing the overall leader's yellow jersey attends the start of the 21st and last stage of the 107th edition of the Tour de France cycling race, 122 km between Mantes-la-Jolie and Champs Elysees Paris. AFP

Team UAE Emirates rider Slovenia's Tadej Pogacar wearing the overall leader's yellow jersey (3rd-L) and Team UAE Emirates riders ride during the 21st and last stage of the 107th edition of the Tour de France cycling race, 122 km between Mantes-la-Jolie and Champs Elysees Paris. AFP

Team Jumbo rider Slovenia's Primoz Roglic waits prior to the 21st and last stage of the 107th edition of the Tour de France cycling race, 122 km between Mantes-la-Jolie and Champs Elysees Paris. AFP

Spectators watch the peloton passing by during the 21st stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 122 km from Mantes la Jolie to Paris, France. EPA

Slovenian rider Tadej Pogacar (2-nd L) of the UAE Team Emirates, flanked by teammates, wears the overall leader's yellow jersey as waiting for the start of the 21st and last stage of the Tour de France 2020 cycling race over 122km from Mantes-La-Jolie to Paris, France. EPA

UAE Team Emirates' Tour de France champion Tadej Pogacar is doing his bit to help people back home in his country. Pogacar's yellow jersey was sold for €47,000 (Dh200,000) on Friday in a charity auction organised by Slovenia’s national public radio.

Pogacar’s jersey was bought by a local businessman. Organisers said the money will be used to support talented young sportspersons in Slovenia from underprivileged families.

The 22-year-old Pogacar became the youngest winner in 116 years on Sunday. He finished ahead of compatriot Primoz Roglic.

In his column for The National, Pogacar said winning the Tour was a dream come true.

"I thought beforehand that if I had a good day then probably, I would be close to [race leader Primoz] Roglic. He didn’t have the best day, so I was able to make up the time. I didn’t know that I had won the jersey until after he had crossed the line. I have a lot of respect for him as a rival and a friend. I know he’s disappointed at the moment but I’m sure we will have many great battles in the future," Pogacar wrote.

"I still can’t believe that I am the youngest Tour de France winner since 1904 and its first from Slovenia. I had some good years with UAE Team Emirates where I won Tour de l’Avenir in 2018 and capped by three stages victories and a podium at Vuelta a Espana last year."