French pundit suggests "Merckxism Syndrome" and "Armstrongian Trauma" prevent us from enjoying the greatness of Tadej Pogacar
Cycling
Triple crown and two monuments along the way. With 25 victories, Tadej Pogacar's season could've been hardly any better. And it's not just any wins, dominating with monstrous solo rides including 80km raid at Strade Bianche, 50km solo at Lombardia and finally the spectacular 100km to go attack at World Championships. Naturally, bad mouths speak of doping and compare the Slovenian to controversial figures like Eddy Merckx and Lance Armstrong. Meanwhile others try to enjoy the greatness they're witnessing.
"All behavioral, psychosociological and neurological studies will confirm it, the cycling spectator is eternally dissatisfied. The reason for this state is now known, it is the result of the association of two serious pathologies, one called 'Merckxism Syndrome' and the other called 'Armstrongian Trauma'," Marc Fayet explains in his Cyclism'Actu column.
"The first named, inherited from the time when a famous cannibal raged in the last century who left only a few crumbs of events to his opponents (especially those in which he did not participate) and the second, successive to the unchallenged reign of an American serial cheat who managed to abuse his world for about fifteen seasons."
Suddenly Merckx accelerated and let go of his last breakaway companions
"From these two eras was born first of all among the reporters-rapporteurs a prose based on the expression of a weariness of having to relate day after day, week after week and season after season the same story each time beginning invariably with 'Suddenly Merckx accelerated and let go of his last breakaway companions'."
So far, Pogacar's dominance has been very Merckx-esque. So much that many would refuse to accept someone winning so easily: "It would seem that in 2024, these two dormant diseases will suddenly emerge to become one and will take over the entire cycling world, preventing us from properly enjoying the advent of the greatest cycling champion in the world," Fayet points out.
It is true that the boy who smiles while pedaling has a disconcerting ease in exercising his sport, which is much more like a game than a stake. It is also true that when he decides to leave, journalists cannot help but repeat the formula of their predecessors from the last century: 'Suddenly Pogacar accelerated and let go of his last breakaway companions'."
Ondrej ZhasilCycling Journalist
Ondřej Zhasil is a cycling journalist at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2023. He is based in Ostrava, the third-largest city in the Czech Republic, and covers professional cycling across the main UCI competitions, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España. A key focus of his work is startlist analysis and pre-race coverage, where he examines team selections, rider line-ups, and tactical scenarios ahead of major events.
Alongside WorldTour coverage, Ondřej has developed specific expertise in junior cycling and in racing across East Asia, including competitions in China and Japan. He also maintains a broad working knowledge of other disciplines and levels, including cyclocross, while continuing to expand his understanding of mountain bike racing.
Ondřej holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Physics, which supports his analytical, data-driven approach to performance and race analysis. In his reporting, he regularly uses ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available.
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