“De Vlaeminck’s remarks are unacceptable – Merckx beat him many times”: Tadej Pogacar supported in viral “overrated” debate by experienced Italian expert
Cycling
Roger De Vlaeminck’s attack on Tadej Pogacar continues to ripple through the cycling world — and now one of Italy’s most respected voices has weighed in.
Speaking to Bici.Pro, veteran journalist Claudio Gregori offered a firm rebuttal of the Belgian’s position, directly challenging the tone and substance of De Vlaeminck’s claims.
The controversy began when the 78-year-old, in a typically fiery interview with Het Laatste Nieuws, dismissed any comparison between Pogacar and Eddy Merckx. “Nonsense! Pogacar isn’t even fit to lace Merckx’s shoes,” he exclaimed. He doubled down with another sweeping assertion: “If I were 22 today and riding in the peloton with him, he wouldn’t be dropping me.”
The former Paris–Roubaix specialist also insisted that anyone questioning Merckx’s status “doesn’t know what they’re talking about.”
Gregori pushes back: “Unacceptable”
Gregori, who has covered twelve Olympic Games and decades of Grand Tours, did not hide his reaction. In conversation with Bici.Pro, he said: “De Vlaeminck’s remarks are unacceptable. Look at the riders he competed against, especially Merckx, who beat him many times.”
He argued that De Vlaeminck’s comments fail to consider the broader picture: “He is also a very different type of rider from Pogacar, but in the end he is not analysing the victories; the numbers also need to be weighed. Modern cycling is very different from theirs — everything is calculated down to the millimetre.”
Rather than choosing a side in the heat of the debate, Gregori stressed that context matters. He highlighted the difference between eras and pointed out how performance characteristics vary between riders who never competed under the same conditions.
Comparing eras without nostalgia
Gregori insisted that comparisons between Pogacar and Merckx require nuance, not provocation. “Pogacar and Merckx are two different riders who competed in different eras,” he says.
Using a simple physical comparison, he noted: “Pogacar is definitely stronger than Merckx on the climbs… Merckx, however, certainly had a more powerful engine.”
The Italian journalist emphasised Pogacar’s versatility, citing examples from his racing style rather than relying on rhetoric. He pointed to the Slovenian’s aggressive long-range attacks and exceptional consistency in the Monuments as evidence that he is forging his own place in cycling history.
“A champion of the highest order”
Gregori also addressed the numbers themselves — not to diminish Merckx, but to highlight what Pogacar has achieved in the modern era. “Pogacar is a champion of the highest order,” he said. “He has won 5 Il Lombardia out of 5 participations, an incredible statistic.”
He noted that even Merckx’s fabled record did not prevent the Slovenian from doing things few thought possible: “Pogacar finished second at his very first Roubaix — something unthinkable until just a few years ago.”
Gregori further argued that Pogacar’s style restores something cycling had lost: “In modern cycling it seemed impossible to excite with long-range solo attacks, yet he has rediscovered this way of racing… That’s what makes him so beloved.”
Evenepoel, Vingegaard and the rivals shaping Pogacar’s era
One common counter-argument in the De Vlaeminck debate is that Pogacar allegedly dominates without rivals. Gregori rejected that outright. “It’s not true that Pogacar has no rivals at his level,” he said, pointing to recent battles with Vingegaard and identifying Evenepoel as a major long-term threat: “He is two years younger… he has shown he can fight in Grand Tours.”
Gregori concluded by placing Pogacar’s place in history within a longer timeframe rather than in the heat of a single argument. “For now, the definition still holds: ‘Merckx the strongest, Coppi the greatest.’ But in three years, I believe that between those two we could no doubt include the Slovenian champion.”
By responding with analysis rather than provocation, Gregori’s comments provide one of the clearest counterpoints yet to De Vlaeminck’s blistering critique — and shift the conversation back toward performance, context and perspective, rather than nostalgia-driven declarations.
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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- You're right about Kieran Wood, but he keeps reminding us he's the big Deputy Editor-in-Chief !?!? He says his focus is on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. Kieran also says he places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available. So... he's gotta be right in saying Pogi is a four time TDF winner!?!? ... or maybe not!?!? LOL !!!PogiSloFans03-11-2026
- A busy boy!Lozza03-11-2026
- I hope 2027 is his year.mij03-11-2026
- why does he have to? many GT riders from Froome to Contador to Indurain didn't do them.mij03-11-2026
- I think Jonas would have lost the TDF by 4+ minutes (at the least) and might not have even been in the top 3. Too much talent in the younger riders to say anyone not named Pogačar would have been top 3md197503-11-2026
- this is just stupid. you already have 23%, gravel is over the topabstractengineer03-11-2026
- There was once a time when Lance was supremely popular and he used his artificial "It's Not About the Bike: My Journey Back to Life" persona to lead his mob in going after Greg. There was no one Lance did not abuse in protecting his phony hero image. Lance promoted himself as a divine megastar and he let down millions of cancer victims and gullible devotees who clung far too long to the charade. Lance is the epitome of a corrupt person and because of his power, many around him, including business enterprises, succumbed to the evil. All who got in Armstrong's way were mercilessly attacked by him and his minions. This remarkably continues today with a new generation. LeMond was a number one enemy and paid a huge price. Who do you think slandered who?Yepperoni03-11-2026
- You despise him because he calls out the truth....OK clown !frieders303-11-2026
- JV is really slighting himself with not doing the 1 dayers.. 🤷
leedorney02-11-2026 - Watch the interview on youtube. I don't speak French. I do speak English and Spanish and you can hear it in his voice. Years ago LeMond had real personal problems I imagine in no small part because of Armstrong. then Armstrong goes round "full blast" re: LeMond having drinking and drug problems. The same way Andreu was expelled from mainstream cycling so was LeMond. On the positive side the clips of the ride and chatting with old teammates and was good. To seemed like a fun day and experience and good reason brush up his French.atom02-11-2026
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