“He’d give me a beating, he’s the best ever” - Lance Armstrong praises Tadej Pogacar after another Tour de France 2026 win
Cycling
Tadej Pogacar’s fifth victory at the Tour de France 2026 continues to spark reactions across the cycling world. One of the most striking came from Lance Armstrong, who did not hesitate to place the Slovenian above every other legend of the sport, himself included.
Lance Armstrong praises Tadej Pogacar
In the latest episode of his podcast THE MOVE, the American said that, for him, there is no longer any debate about who is the greatest cyclist of all time.
Pogacar has matched this year’s five Tour de France wins of Eddy Merckx, Jacques Anquetil, Bernard Hinault, and Miguel Indurain, but Armstrong believes his dominance goes far beyond the tally of titles.
“This guy is the best of all time. I don’t even have to go that far back. He can simply do everything.”
The American highlighted the extraordinary versatility of the UAE Team Emirates - XRG leader, capable of winning on virtually any terrain.
“It doesn’t matter if it’s a flat stage, if there are cobbles, if we’re racing in the high mountains or on the white roads of Strade Bianche. He doesn’t care about the time of year either. He just wants to race.”
Armstrong added that this ability to perform throughout the calendar is what, in his view, makes Pogacar a unique rider.
“He is, quite simply, the best of all time. It’s not always entertaining to watch, especially in a three-week race, but that’s a fact.”
Tadej Pogacar wins the Tour de France 2026
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The former American pro also responded to the usual comparisons between the two, acknowledging that the Slovenian would be above the best level he reached during his career.
“Sometimes people compare my career to his and ask where I’d stack up against him. It doesn’t matter. This guy would beat the crap out of Lance Armstrong. I’m serious.”
For Armstrong, Pogacar not only rules cycling, but he also considers him the most dominant athlete in the world right now.
“For me, he is the most dominant athlete in the world.”
The American was also convinced that Pogacar will not ease off after conquering his fifth Tour de France and believes he will keep expanding his palmarès.
However the American continues to argue he holds the record - the seven victories have been stripped away from him - and that this will influence the Slovenian's mindset.
“He knows what the real record is. He’ll keep going. And I hope he gets it. I don’t mind either way. I’m an athlete. You play, and records get broken from time to time. They’re there to be broken.”
At just 27, Pogacar has already matched the five-Tour mark achieved by the sport’s greatest legends. If he maintains this level over the next seasons, the Slovenian will have the chance to become the rider with the most victories in the Grande Boucle, a target that, according to Lance Armstrong, looks increasingly within reach.
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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.
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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)...
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- many people advise him to grow slowly and rather do giro and/or vuelta instead of tdf. but i can totally understand that he is not satisfied with taking over once pogi declines, but instead beat him in his prime. so if he goes for tdf again, i‘m all for it. let‘s hope that pogi recovers soon!Ketterechts07-11-2026
- So gracious to offer something no-one would be prepared to pay for. The Giro is not the Tour and doesn’t command the same interest or attract the same “elite” (those willing to pay to be a part of something they consider has ego boosting potential). Roadside viewing will always largely remain free for everyone outside circuits. Introduction of a symbolic entrance to mountain climbs is worthy of exploration. Asking 1-2€ isn’t going to repulse real fans (most will spend 50-100€ on their outing that day all things included) but will prevent a portion of the total knobhead thrillseekers who will join in any large gathering as long as it’s free, just because they’re attracted to crowds, without which it it difficult for them to work up their anti-social behaviour.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- How is radio going to help when someone went over a cliff or bridge or off the roadside into a forest unnoticed and is laying there unconscious?Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- Yep, next we’ll be accusing F1 drivers of avoiding Le Mans.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- But on what is that opinion based? Are you holding him to a different standard than others? Are you saying he should do learn to like something he doesn’t Are you saying he hasn’t achieved enough Are you saying he pretends to be better than his results? It’s actually a really strange opinion to oust if you consider it objectively or rationally. Try applying it to others or yourself by asking if not EVERYONE should then be doing more? Nobody in athletics or swimming gets criticism for not expanding their repertoire when a rival or someone else does. In fact, most who move to another event get accused of running from their rival. Opinions are boring, the reasons behind them are what count.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- for a medical chief to throw things like is just bad. There are already radios which were banned for spectacle. allow radios. Gps trackers are not a complete solutionabstractengineer07-11-2026
- Yeah man...PogiSloFans07-11-2026
- any rider less than 25 whether they are really ready for the position of leadership of GT is probably not the case. I think Pogi himself suffered when he was defeated by Jonas in the TDF twice. But that would be the team's job to ensure support so that they can bounce back. It requires a team and time to get back up and win after getting knocked down.abstractengineer07-11-2026
- I'm very glad he got the big late Quickstep Vuelta win and I hope he has a few left for Euskaltel-Euskadi.flyer07-11-2026
- My memories of Ivan Basso aren't good but I liked his sister Elisa ok.flyer07-11-2026
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