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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Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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- I live in Maribor.PogiSloFans14-11-2026
- I live in Ljubljana and often go on trips in the surrounding area, where I frequently see young cyclists in 'Pogi Team' jerseys training, either alone or in groups. By simply motivating so many young people to take up cycling, Tadej has already achieved something truly significant.Velijo14-11-2026
- That's an excellent point. It's interesting that Vader came to that realization only after he learned that his contract wasn't going to be renewed.
santiagobenites14-11-2026 - Indeed! A reluctant gift maybe. Even more reluctant gift from Roglic! Tho I can’t see that Rog would have beaten Ving anyway.Lozza14-11-2026
- That really nasty crash in 2022 Liege must have played a big part - broken ribs, pneumothorax. You only have to look at his points tallies pre and post.Lozza14-11-2026
- Yeah, good luck getting tv and race organisers like ASO etc to part with their cash!Lozza14-11-2026
- 36 and Ineos have bought a rider on the downward slope. Bring back Dave and Rob who could manage the team. How are Ineos going to win a grand tour with people past their sell by date.paultryan200214-11-2026
- Mmmm would he be making these comments when he was on the richest team when riding. I think not i suspect. If we want money put into the sport we need sponsors who are prepared to put the money in. No disrespect but his team are 2nd or 3rd div in football terms with riders over the hill or 2nd string riders. If i was a sponsor i would be looking at what publicity am i getting back and Tudor really are just making up the numbers really.paultryan200214-11-2026
- I see (elsewhere) that Alaphilippe had more to say than what got relayed in this stub. Me: he was very good early but his latter third trajectory was the pits. His old boss did what he could (huffed and puffed) but Julian couldn't get his greatness back. Sometimes I wonder if crashes that didn't look like much changed the course of the rider.flyer14-11-2026
- I wouldn't classify it as a gift because the nasty consequences of taking it from Sepp would have been great and would persist and he knew it.flyer14-11-2026
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Tadej Pogacar becomes the first rider since Annemiek van Vleuten to win the Tour, Giro, a Monument & Worlds RR in a single season 👏🌈 #Zurich2024
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