Tadej Pogačar is already writing a chapter in 2026 that sounds like a cycling myth: two monuments won, three to go and Paris-Roubaix, of all things, is the toughest stage just around the corner. If he also manages the coup on the cobblestones, a record that no one has managed before him will be within reach.
There are seasons that seem like a glimpse into the history books. One could be written right now. Tadej Pogačar has already won two monuments in 2026: Milan-Sanremo and the Tour of Flanders. The starting position is therefore clear: Pogačar is not only chasing further monuments, but is also within reach of a status that very few have ever achieved in cycling. He could also achieve something very special that no one has ever achieved before him.
What are the five monuments?
The five monuments are the most prestigious one-day races on the calendar: Milan-Sanremo, Tour of Flanders, Paris-Roubaix, Liège-Bastogne-Liège and the Tour of Lombardy. They are considered "magical" because they are extremely tough and have a long tradition in cycling. The demands of the five races differ greatly. Only Eddy Merckx, Roger De Vlaeminck and Rik Van Looy have ever managed to win all five monuments in their careers, a circle so exclusive that their inclusion alone would be a sporting history story.
Paris-Roubaix - the last big hurdle
For Pogačar, Paris-Roubaix is the monument that is still missing from his collection and at the same time the race that looks the least like him: flat, extremely fast, technically demanding and with the pavé sectors as constant risk zones. A race that he is not allowed to win on paper. This is precisely why the cycling star only lined up at the start of what is probably the most famous monument for the first time last year. There he was only beaten by the now three-time winner Mathieu van der Poel. How he intends to shake him off on the cobbles on Sunday? Only he and his team know.
The last two monuments - a self-runner
The next monument, Liège-Bastogne-Liège, follows at the end of April, where Pogačar is traditionally one of the top favourites. With his victories there in the past two years, he has shown that the Ardennes profile suits him and that he can control a finale over a long race duration and tough climbs.
The only monument in the second half of the season should also pose no problem for the high-flyer. Tadej Pogačar seems to have bought a season ticket to victory at the Tour of Lombardy. The last five editions have gone to the Slovenian, a remarkable figure on its own.
The truly historic
The point that could make this season unique, however: All five monuments in a single year. No one has ever managed that before. No Merckx, no De Vlaeminck and no Van Looy either. It would be unique and frightening at the same time. The latter two were unable to win a Tour de France, only Eddy Merckx was as successful as Tadej Pogačar in Grand Tours and Classics at the same time. None of these cycling greats has managed to win all five monuments in one year, the profiles and demands of the long one-day races are too different. Now it seems possible: if Pogačar wins Paris-Roubaix, it will probably only be a formality.
Leon Weidner
Working student
