Armstrong calls Pogacar "greatest cyclist of all time," but buddy Wiggins pushes back

Eight Monuments to his name — and he's only 26 years old. Tadej Pogacar is defying the laws of cycling. The world champion is the most dominant athlete in modern cycling, and so comparisons with Eddy Merckx are quick to follow. Lance Armstrong is already convinced: Pogacar is the greatest cyclist of all time. But not everyone agrees — Bradley Wiggins has a different take.

On the podcast THEMOVE, the guys discussed the incredible edition of the Tour of Flanders. George Hincapie called it “the hardest race in the world,” and Armstrong is also a big fan of Flanders’ Finest. “You’ve got Flanders, Roubaix, and Liège — with San Remo as the odd one out. What I love about Flanders is that it’s a mix between Roubaix and Liège. You get the cobbles, and you get the hills. It’s actually the perfect race. Of all the spring classics, this was the one I most wanted to win.”

He never did — but Pogacar has, twice already. “We should all agree that this is the greatest cyclist of all time,” the American began his tribute. “What he does… every time he pins on a number, he shows up. A rider with his style winning the Tour of Flanders twice in just three attempts… It seems like he has no limits.”

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Wiggins pushes back against Armstrong: "Give him five more years"

But Wiggins, guesting on the Texan’s podcast, wasn’t ready to crown Pogacar just yet. “He’s heading that way. Give him five more years — five more years of winning at this level, with this kind of dominance — and he’ll be close to someone like Eddy Merckx. Let’s not forget how good Merckx really was, and what he achieved. Tadej’s now won Flanders twice as well, but he’s had fewer chances — and he’s still only 26. Give him five more years, and he’ll either match or surpass Merckx.”

Purely looking at the number of wins, Pogacar still has a long road ahead if he wants to approach The Cannibal. “He still needs to win the Tour a few more times, and take the Vuelta and Giro as well. Then there’s the hour record, Gent–Wevelgem... The only race Merckx never won was Omloop Het Volk (now called Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, ed.),” the British former Tour winner explained.

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Wiggins praises Pogacar: "We haven't seen that since Merckx"

That said, Wiggins is full of admiration for the UAE Team Emirates – XRG rider. It’s not just the races Pogacar wins, but the way he wins them. “Every race he enters, he rides in the same aggressive way. To win. We haven’t seen that since Merckx — being dominant from the beginning of January all the way to the last race of the season.”

And so even the London Olympic champion can’t ignore the comparisons. Because what Pogacar is doing, we haven’t seen in 50 years. “What makes you truly great is when you transcend the sport. That’s happening with him now. Eddy did that in the past, and Tadej is doing it today. Cycling is about traditions — and he’s breaking them all. That’s what makes him so special.”

Read also

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