"The superiority of Pogacar lies in his prodigious metabolism. When his opponents are at 8,000 revolutions, he stays at 3,000, so he has more gears left than the rest. His mitochondrial activity, which produces lactate and provides energy to the muscle, is extraordinary. I have not seen anyone with those parameters," the coach and physiologist Iñigo San Millán appeals to science to explain the astonishing performance of a cyclist of the era. "Tadej is excellent, very complete, but the most outstanding thing is his mental strength. He always seeks new challenges to motivate himself," the coach Joxean Fernández Matxin resorts to psychology. "When he retires, he will be remembered as the best of all time," Tour winner Óscar Pereiro points out the ambition. "He is on another level. I have not seen anyone like him," adds cyclist Pello Bilbao.
There is no single secret to understanding the overwhelming supremacy of the Slovenian, who now only races to become a legend. He is the most superb cyclist of the 21st century and is battling against the benchmark of Eddy Merckx. The Cannibal seems unbeatable in the numerical accumulation of trophies: 279. Pogacar (27 years old) has 108. The Belgian has 11 victories in the three Grand Tours (five Tours, five Giros, and one Vuelta) and 64 stages; the UAE leader has five overall wins (four Tours and one Giro) and 30 stages.
But breaking the record for victories is not Pogacar's goal. His mission is to deliver the most sublime performances. It's not about winning, but about doing it in the most memorable way, creating style and doing what no one has done before: winning a World Championship by attacking 100 kilometers from the finish line, achieving more consecutive victories in the Giro di Lombardia (last Monument of the year), stepping onto the podium in all five major classics in a season, shining on cobblestones and sterrato... In 2025, he has sealed his best season with 20 victories, and now he is planning new challenges for 2026.
"Everyone can feel unique. I am very satisfied because I have had my best season by far. The help of my team has been fundamental for this," warns Pogacar, a superlative cyclist who also belongs to a dominant group. The UAE has broken the record for victories this season: they are only six away from 100.
Pogacar's rivals have already become accustomed to sharing the crumbs he leaves behind. Remco Evenepoel accepts his role as a follower in the endurance tests. This month, the Belgian was defeated in the road races of the World Championships and the European Championships, as well as in the wonderful last edition of the Giro di Lombardia. The time trial world champion knew when and where Pogacar would attack, but he was unable to keep up, as has happened so many times. For Remco, finishing second already represents a victory, as he reflected during the celebration of his second place in the arrival in Bergamo last Saturday.
Pogacar has an extensive and versatile list of records for precocity, long-range attacks, and unbeatable ascents. On Saturday, in the area where he left his enemies behind, 36 kilometers from the finish line of the Giro di Lombardia, he surpassed himself. On the climb to Passo di Ganda, acclaimed by an ecstatic audience, he completed it in 21 minutes and 20 seconds, at 26 km/h. He improved by almost two minutes on his times from the 2021 and 2023 editions. Analysts say it was his best climb of the year and the most impressive 20 minutes ever.
Pogacar excels in inventing dynamics and strategies. With his precocity (he won his first Tour at 21), he urged directors and coaches to decisively bet on young talents. Following in his footsteps are Evenepoel, Juan Ayuso, Isaac del Toro, Paul Seixas...
He also sets a trend. Pogacar not only discards the tactic of attacking three kilometers from the finish line but also breaks with the tradition of climbers who stand up on the pedals while climbing. The Slovenian also attacks while seated, a matter of aerodynamics and pedaling cadence. Geometry as an ally of a rider who meticulously controls his nutrition and learns to battle against himself. While Merckx, Bernard Hinault, or Fausto Coppi had competitors of higher caliber, Pogacar has few opponents of his level, which is why he needs to reinvent himself and set new challenges, such as conquering the two missing Monuments (Paris-Roubaix and Milan-San Remo) and beating rivals who are physiologically better suited for those goals. In such a context, even Van der Poel surrenders to Pogi: "He is truly impressive, he makes everything look easy. He is not Merckx, he is Pogacar."
Tadej, an extraterrestrial who knows no limits and captivates everyone.