ANALYSIS: Why Tadej Pogacar's 2024 season is the best in cycling history

Cycling
Monday, 30 September 2024 at 10:10
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What we have just witnessed this Sunday, September 29, 2024, has entered the most memorable pages of cycling history. Tadej Pogacar was proclaimed world champion for the first time in his career after winning the World Championships road race in Zurich with an attack 100 kilometres from the finish line. Yes, you read that right.

The Slovenian is not racing against his rivals, he is racing against history. Every time he gets on his bike, something is going to happen. And in Zurich, what has happened is that the UAE Team Emirates superstar has completed the best season by a cyclist of all time. And he still has Il Lombardia to race.

Why is it the best season ever? With this victory, Pogacar joins a select club of 3 riders (counting him) who have managed to win in the same year, the Giro d'Italia, the Tour de France and the World Championships, along with Eddy Merckx and Stephen Roche. But there is one thing in which Pogacar stands out from the other two. For that, you have to go back a few months, specifically to April 21, 2024.

On that day, Tadej Pogacar won Liège-Bastogne-Liège in a race where the UAE Team Emirates leader won with absurd ease. That day's victory is what differentiates the Slovenian's 2024 from those completed by Mercx and Roche, neither of whom were able to win any monument. In fact, only Annemiek Van Vleuten has matched it in all cycling.

So yes, Tadej Pogacar's 2024 season is the best ever completed by a cyclist in the entire history of this precious sport. What will he do at the Il Lombardia? If he wins that race as well, he would enter a totally different dimension to what he has seen so far. And best of all, it's very possible.

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7 Comments
dodger1 30 September 2024 at 20:33+ 150

I just hope he goes for the grand tour clean sweep next time. All 3 in one season, which, let's face it, if he wasn't focused on the triple crown this year, I think he could easily have done it. I can't see anyone doing all what he has achieved this year - ever

awp 01 October 2024 at 10:19+ 1152

I thought he could have won the Vuelta on one leg, but I didn't understand how bad he was after the Tour which he spoke to just recently. All three may be impossible.

Velijo 01 October 2024 at 21:24+ 14

I'm afraid that the 100-kilometer escape has exhausted Pogi so much that it can cost him victory in the fourth consecutive Lombardy. I hope I'm wrong. Of course, this race also exhausted many of his competitors, but so far there are not many names on the Lombardi start list so far that could surprise

vappaxbipmv 01 October 2024 at 06:35+ 739

I enjoy them both but please don't compare men's cycling to women's cycling

Pogboom 01 October 2024 at 06:58+ 190

Too bad he didn't race at the Olympics and a chance to complete a golden quadruple crown (Giro, TDF, Olympics, Worlds). Still, what an incredible season from Pogacar! I hope he doesn't take it for granted and that he cherishes every win! (Sometimes you lose sight of your achievements when you dominate and win everything...)

RidesHills 06 November 2024 at 19:20+ 564

Did you see his reactions both coming in to the line, hugging and kissing his fiancée, and on the podium? That was anything but taking it for granted! I don’t think I’ve ever seen him as emotional.

Ride1974 30 September 2024 at 01:11+ 258

I used to see a "best individual season" ranking by any rider in all of history, but can't find the page again. I think it was on PCS (ProCyclingStats), not UCI's points. Can anyone help with a link to such a page?

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