A brand new picture book by Uroš Grilc and Gregor Goršič GO AND DOC is truly something special! The story of To Tadej Pogačar and Urski Zigart It takes us to a fairy-tale world of elves, giants and dragons, and gets young and old excited about cycling. And how much new information do you learn about the two real-life heroes, Pogi and Pika: why is Urška Pika and where did Tadej learn to master cycling skills so skillfully?

The picture book was published in the collection Škratolovščine by the Škrateljc Institute, which creates a fairy-tale adventure transversal across Slovenia, family adventures in nature, connected to original stories in picture books.
Fairytale creatures take children on the wings of their imagination to real places, to forest experiences, where children and adults find themselves in the middle of the story and become its heroes. The combination of fairy tales and reality is also a characteristic of the new picture book. GO, PERIOD.

This is how its main characters, Tadej Pogačar and Urška Žigart, accompanied the picture book on its journey among readers? "We were very happy to participate in the creation of the picture book POGI PA PIKA, which is something very special - a cycling fairy tale for children and everyone who still believes in the magic of the world and the power of dreams. The story combines real adventures with imaginary heroes - elves, giants and dragons - and encourages readers to be brave, persistent and move. The book is not only about us, Tadej and Urška, but above all about how important it is to believe in yourself - whether it is the first cycling lap or big life goals.

We believe that POGI PA PIKA will inspire many young readers – to dream, to move, and to believe in the power of perseverance.”

The story of the picture book POGI PA PIKA is a fairy tale, and illustrator Gregor Goršič has vividly depicted the dwarves, dragons and giants who test Pogi and Pika in their cycling exploits. Writer Uroš Grilc conceived the story as a journey of the two heroes from their school days, which are of course connected with bicycles, through the two heroes' encounters with fairy-tale characters: "The dwarves, dragons and giants test Pika and Pogi in a hundred and one ways, train them and ultimately shape them into the cyclists they are today. With effort and perseverance, and of course also courage, Pogi and Pika set an example for all children to follow their dreams. And a bicycle can be a great companion on the way to their dreams: whether it's for the way to school, on a trip or for training and top-level sports."

That's why Urška and Tadej conclude the story in the picture book POGI PA PIKA like this: "This is our cycling fairy tale. With real and fairy-tale heroes. If you believe in elves, dragons and giants, they will definitely help you through many trials. If you believe in yourself, they will take you all the way to your dreams. How? On a bike, of course!"

What makes the picture book POGI PA PIKA special is that the fairy tale story takes place in iconic cycling locations in Slovenia and Europe: from Vršič and Krvavec, where Tadej was trained, to Tre Kraljevo on Pohorje, which is Urška's home slope. And then there's Flanders, Col du Galibier, Strade Bianche, Passo dello Stelvio...

The illustrations in the picture book are rich, lively and full of enthusiasm and optimism, as are Pogi and Pika. Gregor Goršič, illustrator: "Illustrating the story POGI PA PIKA was a really special experience for me - not only exciting from an illustrator's perspective, but also special because I am a big fan of Tadej and Urška and an enthusiastic cyclist myself. The latter was actually a great help to me in my work. With the illustrations, I wanted to capture that childish joy when you sit on a bike and feel the freedom of the wind in your hair. That we are not afraid of challenges, but rather face them and enjoy the journey. I hope that the picture book will encourage children to pedal bravely - both on the bike and in life."

But POGI PA PIKA is not just a story in a picture book, it is part of a wider campaign to promote physical activity for children and families, cycling and a healthy lifestyle. The general sponsor of the POGI PA PIKA picture book is the company Lumar IG. Marko Lukić, owner and director of the company Lumar IG: "At the company Lumar, we believe in the power of examples and that the real future is the one we build together - with responsibility, courage and respect for people and the environment. The POGI PA PIKA project is more than just a booklet. It is a story about movement, cooperation and positive values, which we share as a company with Tadej and Urška. We are proud that as the general sponsor we can co-create an initiative that encourages the youngest and also the elderly to an active, sustainable and courageous lifestyle. The one that leads to a better tomorrow."

"Because the picture book will be interesting for aspiring cyclists, both young and not so young, it will undoubtedly encourage a visit to the famous Slovenian Cycling Hill Climb Challenges. The story of POGI PA PIKA also has its fairytale plot on the steep and long hill on Krvavec, on Tadej Pogačar's home hill, so to speak, where he carved himself into a top cyclist. That is why we are pleased that we can also invite cyclists from all over the world to Cerklje, including families, through the picture book, where they can create a story about perseverance, courage and kindness together with the main characters," says Andreja Megušar, acting director of the Cerklje Tourist Board, which is a partner of the POGI PA PIKA project.

Picture book GO AND DOC is available in all bookstores across Slovenia, on the website www.skrateljc.org and on www.tadejpogacar.com.

Part of the proceeds from the sale of the picture book POGI PA PIKA will go to the Tadej Pogačar Foundation, a CHARITY FOUNDATION.