"Anatomy of a G.O.A.T." - 45-minute long film on Tadej Pogacar features praise from Merckx, Contador and Thomas
Cycling
Eddy Merckx has said that Tadej Pogacar is above him. On a 45-minute long film that will be released this Saturday, 7th November, Tadej Pogacar's career and life will be showcased to cycling fans worldwide.
Pogacar, who turned professional in 2019, has achieved a lot in his seven-year long career, and with many years left in his contract with UAE Team Emirates - XRG, he could be on his way to become a permanent figure in the sport's history.
Whilst much of his story is still left to be told, this weekend a film will be unveiled on HBO Max and Eurosport - set to be broadcast on Great Britain's TNT Sports as well. It is set to 'reveal the scientific secrets behind one of the most dominant eras in road cycling'.
Pogacar, 28, has won five editions of the Tour de France and next year could become the sole record holder of the sport's centerpiece race. Aside from that, his countless victories throughout the calendar and his many triumphs on the monuments have carved out a career that very few in the sport's history could even match.
"Drawing on unique data and analysis from WHOOP, supplemented by expert testimony, the documentary presents verified statistics and brings them to life through original graphic design," said the press release issued. "Divided into five chapters, it explores various facets that help explain why Pogačar stands out from his opponents during a golden age of cycling".
The film will not only include an exclusive interview with Pogacar, but also Eddy Merckx himself - the man whom most believe still stands in the Slovenian's way of becoming cycling's best ever.
Tadej Pogacar won his fifth Tour de France this summer
Thomas, Contador, Trentin and more provide special insight
The 45-minute long film will also feature former professional cyclists Geraint Thomas and Alberto Contador; former teammate Matteo Trentin; former coach Iñigo San Milán; Pogacar's parents Mirko and Marjeta; sports scientist Jean-Benoit Morin; WHOOP vice-president Kristen Holmes and TNT Sports presenter Matt Stephens.
“I believe Tadej Pogačar is the greatest cyclist of all time," Alberto Contador said. "Tadej wants to win everything. I think he aims to secure as many Monuments, Tour de France titles, and world championship titles as possible, in addition to winning as many individual stages as he can at the Tour de France.”
'El Pistolero', a legend in modern cycling and current presenter at Eurosport, believes the Slovenian has already reached the great of all time status.
“If you really think about it, it’s very difficult to find an athlete from any other sport throughout history who has been so vastly superior to their rivals. I was reflecting on this and thought of Usain Bolt. But, of course, Tadej Pogačar displays this level of dominance in every single race he enters, from February through October.”
Geraint Thomas, 2018 Tour de France winner, shared a story in which Pogacar's ability on the bike became clear: “There was one time when I was riding with Pog in Liège, and he was cruising along at over 400 watts. He pulled up next to me and just started chatting. And I thought, ‘Mate, I can’t really talk right now; I need to focus on getting up this climb as best I can.’ But he’s definitely got an extra gear or two compared to me—there’s no doubt about that.”
Eddy Merckx believes Pogacar is above him
Merckx, now 81 years old, holds many of cycling's records and has been for decades regarded as the best of all time in the sport. But the Belgian 'Cannibal' believes he might have been surpassed now:
“It’s bringing back a form of cycling that we had forgotten. At this moment, he's ahead of me," he said in the film.
Pogacar shares insight on his career
The film will feature plenty statements from Pogacar himself, currently signed to UAE Team Emirates - XRG. “As long as we enjoy practicing this sport, the results will eventually come. When we stop having fun, we need to find something else that makes us happy.”
“In the most difficult moments, we have to realize: ‘I am here because I did all the necessary preparation, because I sacrificed everything to get to this point.’ We cannot give up. We must keep fighting, because after a bad spell, there are always better times ahead.”
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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- for what?frieders311-11-2026
- Blah blah blah!frieders311-11-2026
- Where Merckx just rode every single race he could and won all the time, Hinault won less often (percentage wise) because he was more judicious in what he raced. His palmares are nuts. He had amazing rivals, one to start his career and another to end it in the grand tours. His classics were solid. What sets him apart from Merckx and Pogačar are that he basically dabbled in the classics while the other two love(d) them. I used to compare Pogačar to Hinault for his grand tour record and occasional classics win, until I realized that the comparison was wrong. Pogačar loves the classics - ah, the memory of his reaction to finishing fourth in a 2 person sprint in Flanders in ‘22: utter domination in any one day race since then, even when he doesn’t win. Hinault lived for the grand tours and I don’t think anyone else will ever reach his record. 10 wins in 13 attempts? Good lord. An amazing rider. Wish there was more footage to watch.RidesHills11-11-2026
- I had no idea about that either.
santiagobenites10-11-2026 - great analysis thanks! appreciate you posting this. I didn't realize CX had a different standard for deviation. this is even more egregious it seems.mij10-11-2026
- As he isn't currently with Red Bull, I guess if he want to race for one more year he needs to find a team. He's 37 so this will be his last year I would guess, unless he wants to race for almost nothing like Froome did.awp10-11-2026
- I think some are making much ado about nothing. Even though Jonas is getting older, before his crash in the Tour, he looked like a solid 2nd all the way home. No one can really climb with Tadej until this year, Eric Mas showed himself which I think was a one off year for him and Paul Seixas has been able to be pretty close to him. Whatever stage race Jonas enters as long as Tadej is not there he is a favorite to win.awp10-11-2026
- Giro or not Giro, he won't win the Tour!MajorPayne10-11-2026
- Very true.awp10-11-2026
- Ciccone had a very strong end of season. Consistently attacking and livening up races. Hope he makes that last leap in progress and starts notching some significant wins. Great rider to watch.Occam10-11-2026
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