In 2024, Tadej Pogacar signed what for many was the best individual year in cycling history. So when in 2025 he surpassed that year's records, the UAE Team Emirates - XRG leader's status as an invincible rider became even heavier. If he were to improve this in 2026, what would he have to win?
If one thinks about it, it seems almost impossible for Pogacar and any other cyclist to surpass what he has achieved in 2025: Tour de France, World Championships, European Championships, Criterium du Dauphiné Tour of Flanders, Il Lombardia, Liège-Bastogne-Liège, Strade Bianche and many more victories, in addition to being second in his debut at Paris-Roubaix and third at Milano-Sanremo.
But, as Tadej Pogacar knows he can win those last two aforementioned monuments, it is still possible that the records of this recently concluded campaign will be surpassed by the UAE rider. To do so, he will have to repeat most of the aforementioned triumphs, as he is expected to race in all of them again. But there are 5 races that stand out above the rest.
1. Tour de France
In order to talk about the "best year ever" by the end of 2026, Tadej Pogacar will have to win the Tour de France, again. Because he has done it three times, but also because it is the most important race of all, and it would mean his fifth title in the Grande Boucle. It would tie the all-time record currently held by Eddy Merckx, Miguel Induráin, Jacques Anquetil and Bernard Hinault.
2. Milano-Sanremo
Sanremo is perhaps the race besides the Tour de France that is the most important to Pogacar. Over the past few years he has deployed different tactics to try and win what was formerly known as the 'sprinter's monument'. Nowadays it's far from that, and the rainbow jersey's climbing abilities means this is now also a race for the climbers and classics specialists to win, only.
This is not only because of him, but because of an incredibly strong UAE that fits their block better to the race every year and in 2025 exploded the race on the first half of the Cipressa. Only Mathieu van der Poel was able to follow and denied him of another mythical solo win in Sanremo. Will he be able to do the same next spring though? Specially if UAE bring Isaac del Toro and is able to use him this time around...
3. Paris-Roubaix
If Tadej Pogacar manages to beat Mathieu van der Poel in the "Hell of the North" in the spring, it would become the fourth monument that he would be a winner of. The most difficult one of all for him to win perhaps, although he showed zero issues in his debut, making experience seem like a non-factor. But it has to come so that he can continue to improve himself. The challenge will be brutal. Since 2023 there hasn't been a winner other than Van der Poel, and beating the Dutchman on his favorite race is only for the chosen ones.
Tadej Pogacar was second behind Mathieu van der Poel at Paris-Roubaix 2025
4. World Championships
Another race he will have to win will be the Montréal World Championships. Again, because he has done so twice, and needs to achieve the same to have a shot at improving his year. The course will be virtually the same as the World Tour race held every year in the Canadian city, which Pogacar loves so much. In fact, he swept the 2024 edition and could have won the 2025 edition, but decided to give the victory to his UAE teammate Brandon McNulty.
5. Il Lombardia
If Tadej Pogacar wins all the races mentioned in this list, he can afford to "fail" at a certain monument, such as Liège-Bastogne-Liège. But at Il Lombardia there is a record to beat.
After winning the last 5 editions in a row, the Slovenian tied Fausto Coppi as the cyclist who has won the "Classic of the Fallen Leaves" the most times. A sixth consecutive title would leave him at the top and reaching a milestone that will be very difficult to surpass again.
Original: Jorge Borreguero
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Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
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- Who made you site boss?Lozza12-11-2026
- This shows so well you’ve never ventured out to a cycling event and checked out spectators.Jumpyjohn12-11-2026
- I preferred the one about amateur riders and passing (perhaps to explain why he can’t ride at 220 which would probably be more effective to return to shape).Jumpyjohn12-11-2026
- Not just ManU, far worse in some minority sports ventures.Jumpyjohn12-11-2026
- From your writing it sounds like you’ve been sharing your views with people here for quite a while, quite presumouptuous for a new profile.Jumpyjohn12-11-2026
- Which is amazing given his weight and size, though, unlike in boxing and some rare instances we haven’t a clue what his fighting weight was. Anybody know why these “public” figures floated around are considered as being accurate?Jumpyjohn12-11-2026
- That’s a first point, everyone can have an off year or just stagnate before a new upward cycle. What would have been more interesting is including Skjelmose’s performance into the discussion, things have also been expected from him after several performances in the past but he hasn’t really progressed either, his TdF was basically what you would have expected but he’s 26 and been kind of stuck at this level for at least 2-3 years. Maybe he’s a late developer or maybe he needs something to change but as manager I’d be just as demanding and worried about both. Perhaps the recruitment concept was to have enough talent so at least one every year would be in shape and they’ve just been unlucky. Don’t want to rub it in but you could even say Mads lost a notch, so is it the riders or is it more to do with the team?Jumpyjohn12-11-2026
- Bingo...I was also going to say that young pretty women are obsessed Pogi fan girls... who are chasing him. All glossy "____" (blank) about Tadej. PS: You can all fill in the "blank" yourselves, whatever you prefer. The definition of glossy is: It looks unusually shiny, glazed over, watery, or vacant/unfocused.PogiSloFans12-11-2026
- Are you able to discuss ANYTHING without making a reference back to your Special 1? It’s almost as if you’re paid by his marketing team to improve his ranking in search results.Jumpyjohn12-11-2026
- PogiSloFansUpToDate: The Tadej Pogačar Foundation has awarded scholarships for the 2026/2027 school and academic year in Slovenia. It received more than 60 applications from young people who have faced cancer, and all of them were approved. This year, Pogi's Foundation has therefore signed scholarship agreements with 63 recipients, totalling €166,000. This is almost double last year’s amount, when it awarded 35 scholarships worth €94,000. Pogačar: "We believe in you and your dreams. Now I’m cheering for you."PogiSloFans12-11-2026
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