"Eddy Merckx was competing when there were only four good countries… guys he was racing against were still working" – Tadej Pogacar ‘vastly superior’ claims peloton rival

Sorry but what kind of cheap analysis is that, almost shameful (the weak/lightness of the argumentation) from a rider, especially one of an age to have missed the earlier era and who has shown the opposite of knowledge on it. It’s like an architect or wrestler calling today’s star superior to those in medieval or roman times, ripping out all context that doesn’t suit. Where to start, Firstly, it still took 4 decades for someone to match Ed’s hour ride on a similar (but vastly superior) bike type. 4 countries? Don’t be insulting or ignorant, why ignore Spain or Switzerland or Germany, maybe you never even heard of Luxembourg? By the time Merckx turned pro even Britain (remember the Milk Race?) and Ireland were in the mix, surely you heard of Simpson? Maybe even Hoban? The Danes were starting their ascension so we’re more at like 10 without outsiders and individuals and basically, it’s not much different today. As to the pool, I remind and expand what has been stated before, pro cycling has and is still shrinking enormously, there may be newcomers but they in no way outweigh the losses from the glory days of the classic countries that led to cycling being so big for a while it often rivalled or surpassed soccer in popularity! Those days will NEVER return, even now with the coming of the 2nd Merckx (yes, mishaps barred he will equal/rival maybe surpass him one day). If you’re not old enough to have lived it, at least go do some background checking on GT, WC & Olympics participation before making such a pointless comparison. Start by striking down the quality of his rivals if you think he was only up against workers, or maybe you confused/mixed together his amateur and pro days? Track cycling was also Huge back then, it’s totally marginal now, CUTD doesn’t even report on it except maybe if there’s a “name” participating at WC or Olympics. People today have NO IDEA how tough and competitive cycling was back then at that level. I’m not so sure today you’d see Tadej fighting on in the Tour if someone in the crowd would sucker punch his kidney on a climb and crashing a couple of days later to be left with a broken jaw to making it impossible to eat solid food. Van Impe Gimondo Oçana (better than results show, missing at least 1 more TdF) Thevenet Maertens Poulidor Janssens Some legendary themselves and maybe Monseré was destined to be even bigger before the horror ending. We can try to compare the impossible but c’mon his “analysis” is almost insulting.