ANALYSIS | Tadej Pogacar vs Eddy Merckx vs Stephen Roche: Who had the better triple crown season

What happened on Sunday, September 29, 2024, in Zurich was perhaps one of the greatest cycling, and sporting moments you will ever seen. Tadej Pogacar cemented his place among cycling’s all-time greats with a performance that will be remembered for generations. Attacking with 100 kilometres still to race, the Slovenian rode solo to victory in the World Championships road race, claiming the rainbow jersey for the first time in his career. This audacious ride brought back memories of cycling’s golden age, in a season where Pogacar was truly in a league of his own as he won race upon race

Pogacar’s season didn’t just stop at this monumental achievement. Having also successfully won his first pink jersey at the Giro d’Italia in May, secured two Monument victories, and won his third Tour de France, his 2024 campaign has sparked debate over whether it ranks as the greatest in modern cycling. On Friday night, the accolades continued as he claimed the Eddy Merckx Trophy and the Velo d’Or in recognition of his stunning year.

But where does Pogacar’s season stand compared to the historic years of Eddy Merckx and Stephen Roche, two riders who also achieved the elusive Triple Crown? And why are we as fan always so interested by these comparisons across eras?

Tadej Pogacar’s 2024 season was the season many thought he was capable of producing after 2021, before Jonas Vingegaard derailed his run and emerged as his one true rival. In addition to winning the World Championships road race in September, he won Il Lombardia for the fourth time in a row just two weeks later. His Tour de France triumph—his third overall—featured six stage wins, the same amount of stage wins as he managed at the Giro.

Pogacar’s victories in two Monuments, Liège-Bastogne-Liège and Il Lombardia, further demonstrated his unbeatable level this season. These results, combined with his other successes, helped him collect both the Eddy Merckx Trophy and the Velo d’Or in 2024, and it was never in doubt that he’d receive these awards.

To date, only two riders, Eddy Merckx in 1974 and Stephen Roche in 1987, have achieved the coveted Triple Crown by winning a Grand Tour, the World Championships road race, and a Monument in the same year. Pogacar’s inclusion in this exclusive club is well deserved, and many argue that his 2024 campaign surpasses Roche’s and even rivals Merckx’s best seasons.

Eddy Merckx’s name looms large in any discussion of cycling greatness. Known as "The Cannibal," the Belgian dominated the sport like no other, racking up 11 Grand Tour victories, 19 Monument wins, three World Championships, and an astonishing 525 career victories.

Merckx himself was full of praise for Pogacar’s World Championship ride. “His victory was exceptional, certainly unique,” Merckx told Relevo. “Something that has rarely been seen in cycling.”

However, Merckx was quick to draw a line when comparisons to his own career were raised. “I don’t think Pogačar is superior to Eddy Merckx. He’s won only three Tours. He has a long way to go to be better than Eddy Merckx,” he clarified.

Merckx’s scepticism underscores the shows the challenge Pogacar faces on paper in closing the gap to the Belgian legend in terms of stats. At just 26 years old, Pogacar has amassed three Tours de France, one Giro d’Italia, seven Monument victories, and 92 career wins. These are staggering numbers for his age, but they still fall short of the legendary Belgian’s astonishing palmares if we’re simply basing things on stats.

Still, there are clear paths for Pogacar to claw his way towards Merckx, starting with: Milano-Sanremo. Milano-Sanremo, one of two Monuments he has yet to win, is the race Pogacar and his team say they want more than any other next year. And then of course there’s the Vuelta a España, the final race he needs to complete his set of Grand Tour titles.

Stephen Roche’s Triple Crown in 1987 stands as one of the greatest single-year achievements in cycling. That season, the Irishman won the Giro d’Italia, the Tour de France, and the World Championships road race, along with the Tour de Romandie. Unlike Merckx, who sustained his dominance over a decade, Roche’s peak was short-lived, hindered by a chronic knee injury following a crash in 1986 in the UK.

Speaking to L’Équipe, Roche expressed admiration for Pogacar’s 2024 season. “He had everything he needed to pull off this treble, so we were surprised without being surprised,” Roche said, highlighting how Pogacar’s talent and incredible backing from UAE Team Emirates aligned perfectly for his historic campaign.

Roche, however, echoed Merckx’s caution about anointing Pogacar as the greatest of all time. “The greatest of his time, yes, but you have to respect what Merckx, Indurain, and all the others have done,” Roche emphasised. “He’s the best of the moment. And he’ll be one of the greatest of all time in any case, but we’ll take stock at the end, and we’re a long way from that.”

On paper, Pogacar’s 2024 season surpasses Roche’s 1987 in terms of wins. While Roche’s victories were incredible in their own right, Pogacar’s achievements in 2024, especially his solo triumphs in Zurich, Strade Bianche and Il Lombardia , set a new benchmark for modern cycling.

As Tadej Pogačar looks to 2025, his ambitions are clear. Winning Milano-Sanremo is at the top of his list, as is conquering the Vuelta a España to complete his Grand Tour collection. However, maintaining the level of excellence he achieved in 2024 will be no easy task.

The competition is only getting stronger. Jonas Vingegaard, Remco Evenepoel, and Primož Roglič, three of Pogačar’s fiercest rivals, all faced significant setbacks in 2024 but are expected to return in peak form next year. In fact, just this time last year Vingegaard had handed Pogacar the worst defeat of his career at the 2023 Tour, which shows you just how quickly the form book can change in professional cycling. As Stephen Roche noted, “There are still some great Tours de France to come, and I think the level will even out a bit.” And isn’t that brilliant news for fans.

Pogacar’s incredible 2024 season has reignited the timeless debate: how does today’s best compare to the legends of the past? Fans are often quick to draw parallels between eras, but such comparisons are fraught with complexities, and why are we always so obsessed with comparisons between generations?

One reason for this obsession is the enduring appeal of true sporting greatness. Whether it’s Eddy Merckx in the 1970s, Stephen Roche in the 1980s, or Tadej Pogacar today, each generation produces performances that etch themselves into the memories of fans. Comparing these achievements offers a way to connect the past with the present, creating a narrative that spans decades and keeps fan favourites from yesteryear within the conversation today.

However, as Roche and Merckx both pointed out, the context of each era matters, and this cannot be overstated. Advances in technology, training methods, and race strategies make direct comparisons almost impossible, and Merckx dominated in an era with fewer specialized riders, while today’s peloton is more competitive than ever.

What is clear, though, is that Pogacar is the most talented rider of the current era. At 26, he has already achieved more than most riders manage in their entire careers., and there’s no denying that his 2024 season is at the very least in the top three single seasons of all time. As Pogacar prepares to get back to racing in 2025, it’s clear that he was only really racing the history books in 2024. The question is now how can his rivals get close enough to compete with him so that we aren’t left to conjure up mythical races as competition for the unstoppable Slovenian.