Tadej Pogačar doesn’t leave much respite for his opponents. Since the beginning of the cycling season, he has participated in two races and has won both.
During the Strade Bianche, a 200 kilometre-long race in Italy which mixes road and gravel sectors, Pogačar crashed with 80 kilometres left. However, he still managed to beat 2023 winner Tom Pidcock, crossing the line like a gladiator in his ripped and blood-stained jersey.
This is not such a surprising story when you look at the Slovenian’s record. Aged 26, he has already won two Grands Tours, the 2023 Giro d’Italia and three editions of the Tour de France (with a total of 17 stage wins). Add to that four Tour of Lombardy victories, two in Liège-Bastogne-Liège, one on the Tour of Flanders, and a World Champion title. In 2024, he accumulated 25 wins.
So, when Pogačar shows up, for some fans it is almost as if the race has already been won. It is this dominance that some supporters blame him for making races too predictable and boring. But is that fair to say? Cycling has always had its superstars, and it’s not always pleasant. Growing up in the 2010s, I watched the Tour de France being repeatedly won by Team Sky. And I have to say, I was often irritated by their ability to control races, snuffle out any threat of a breakaway and enforce a breakneck speed in the mountains. Similarly, I also admit I am sometimes bored by Mathieu Van der Poel’s easy wins in cyclo-cross.
But at the same time, I consider these prodigies to help us appreciate the unexpected wins even more. When the early breakaway actually makes it to the finish, or when a domestique gives it a try and crosses the line first, it becomes incredibly rewarding. In the recent women’s Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, the breakaway resisted the peloton’s big names, resulting in Lotte Claes’ first professional victory. Last year, Bardet’s or Carapaz’s Tour de France stage wins wouldn’t have been as heroic had Pogačar and his team not instilled a stereotype that they were unbeatable.
Also, it is true we now often find the same names on the podium, but I believe the co-habitation of a few superstars can make races incredibly exciting. Tadej Pogačar still faces Jonas Vingegaard and Remco Evenepoel, the latter of whom ranked third in his first Tour de France in 2024. Let’s also not forget that cyclists remain subject to crashes, mechanical issues and unexpected breakdowns. Races never have a foregone conclusion. My take then is to try and leave aside the negative conclusions about Pogačar’s domination and to firstly enjoy the impressive performances they offer us, and secondly romanticize the emotional side stories that make cycling so special even more.
Photo Credits: “Stage 14, 2021 TDF10058 pogacar (51322016774)” by filip bossuyt from Kortrijk, Belgium is licensed under CC BY 2.0.