Stefan Tabeling and Felix Schröder, dpa
Happy and relieved, Tadej Pogacar boarded the TGV bound for Paris. Final destination: Longing. The ‘man-eater’, as the renowned Tour publication *L’Équipe* admiringly described him, had finally had enough. After a three-week adventure in France featuring solo victories of almost unrivalled dominance, impressive climbing displays in the mountains, spectacular records, but also doping tests at 5.00 am and a few boos from the roadside.
For the fourth time, Pogacar set off for Paris wearing the Yellow Jersey. On one occasion – when he won in the Olympic year of 2024 – the Tour, as is well known, finished in Nice. The legendary Eddy Merckx had already welcomed the exceptional rider into the exclusive circle of five-time winners, alongside the two Frenchmen Jacques Anquetil and Bernard Hinault, and the Spaniard Miguel Indurain. But that is not the end of the story. “I don’t think he’ll be content simply to draw level with me and the other champions. He’ll soon break our record for Tour victories,” the 81-year-old Belgian told *La Gazzetta dello Sport*.
Who could possibly beat Pogacar? In the mountains, at any rate, it was a “mission impossible”, as double Olympic champion Remco Evenepoel admitted. Whenever the world champion made his move, his rivals didn’t even put up a fight. Take, for example, his masterclass on the 21 most famous hairpin bends in the world, climbing up to the cycling mecca of Alpe d’Huez, when Pogacar closed the gap by three and a half minutes on a strong breakaway group.
Pantani’s record broken
In doing so, he also smashed Marco Pantani’s 31-year-old record. 35 minutes and 26 seconds for the 13.8-kilometre final climb, an average speed of over 23 km/h, 1 minute and 24 seconds faster than the Italian legend in 1995 – a superhuman feat in the eyes of many experts.
Pogacar had already set a new personal best on the Col du Tourmalet in the Pyrenees. “I’m not interested in records; it’s all about the win,” says Pogacar in his usual modest manner. Similarly, he was keen not to overplay his stage victories at Les Angles, Gavarnoe-Gèdre, Le Lioran and Le Markstein.
He has already celebrated his 26th Tour stage victory at Alpe d’Huez. Had he not also helped his team-mate Isaac del Toro, who finished third, along the way, there would probably have been even more. Only former sprint star Mark Cavendish (35), Merckx (34) and Hinault (28) are ahead of him. If the 27-year-old continues at this pace, the record could be broken in as little as two years.
“I don’t feel that I’ve become significantly stronger since 2024. But I have more experience; the little things are still improving. It’s all down to the details,” he says.
Team manager: ‘He’s got the same aura as Federer’
Pogacar is setting new standards in cycling. He wins races with long solo breaks or, if necessary, in a sprint. “Pogi has now become a global figure,” enthused his team manager Mauro Gianetti: “He has the aura, the charisma and the appeal of a Roger Federer. He is an icon.”
And in the Tour, he has long since taken on the role of leader. He is no longer just the nice lad from Komenda, as he was when he made his debut six years ago. He is outspoken in defending the interests of the peloton when necessary. As was the case after the fateful crash involving his rival Jonas Vingegaard, who fell following a night-time doping test on Stage 15 and suffered a broken collarbone. Pogacar speculated that there might have been a connection.
As well as Vingegaard, Pogacar was also stopped for a check during the night. This is an unprecedented move in France, which was authorised by a Paris court. Could there be grounds for suspicion? Or are such miraculous feats on a road bike reason enough for such unusual measures?
Occasional calls
Not everyone is a fan of Pogacar’s dominance, though. Even from the roadside, there were occasional boos directed at the insatiable rider. “That just makes us stronger,” replied Pogacar: “When someone boos me, I think of Novak Djokovic and draw inspiration from him.” The Serbian tennis star doesn’t have only supporters either. However, Pogacar noted that 99 per cent of people are positive towards him.
This means the cycling star, who is under contract with UAE until 2030, can now set his sights on his next goals. There is talk of the Vuelta; the three-week tour of Spain is indeed still missing from his long list of victories. The spring classic Paris–Roubaix has also eluded him so far, despite two second-place finishes. And it’s common knowledge that Pogacar is particularly fond of the world champion’s jersey, alongside the yellow jersey.
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