“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.
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.
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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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- disagreed. in this year's tdf he was unable to ride away from the young guns in the stages before his crash. there were several riders at least close to, if not on, his level in the second week: seixas, remco, del toro, lipo. next year jonas is a year older and the younger riders gained a year of experience and strength. if you then try to skip part of the high altitude training ... i doubt that jonas will make the podium at tdf 27. for sure he is not the favourite for runner up. he will be in the mix, yes. but not THE favourite for 2nd place.Ketterechts15-11-2026
- That means you're Austrian, like Arnold Schwarzenegger. He was born close to Gradc, very close to Maribor. We used to do a lot of shopping in Gradc in the 70's and 80's, when Slovenia was still a part of communist Yugoslavia. Today we have good relationships with the Austrians. Many Slovenians are working there.PogiSloFans15-11-2026
- headline criticism agreed. but otherwise he certainly has a point. you can negotiate extra perks if you are way above he rest ... however, these times have long gone ...Ketterechts15-11-2026
- WTF is Pogi's hater Zonneveld talking about??? He was against Pogi waving to Slovenian fans from an organisation car as fans caught a glimpse of Pogi at the European Championships in Slovenia. The S.O.B. couldn't resist poking fun at his attention-grabbing appearance. What Zonneveld says has no relevance.PogiSloFans15-11-2026
- ❤️Lozza15-11-2026
- The greatest ever is a crazy claim. But in discussions about sport in our local media, among people with no particular interest in cycling, he has been the first person they've thought of when giving examples of exceptional athletes.Hills3315-11-2026
- Urska may be less keen on a cafe if keeping it afloat will fall to her, so maybe just a nice dream!Hills3315-11-2026
- Raise thine hand if the money you have made for retirement slips away on poor investments.Most of us will outlive our financial comforts because we don't have the financial acumen to ensure a comfortable lifelong retirement and that is a statistical fact not my opinion.Many millionaires have pissed their money away or had it taken away by so called conniving "financial advisors".The world of wealth is a dangerous place that most of us will never experience nor appreciate.
Brucegel15-11-2026 - You are interested in Pogi for one reason only, you feel like you are somehow related because you share some vague geographical identity. Other than that you have very little interest in cycling as all your posts show, if it can’t be connected to Pogi you have nothing to post. That said, recent activity here shows we are attracting quite a crowd from his region.Jumpyjohn15-11-2026
- From knowing past cycling stars with shops I can only say, think it through. Not only is it mundane after a while but it really doesn’t take you out of the limelight, in the end you’ll be trying to stay away from the place yourself whilst all your fans keep coming for you.Jumpyjohn15-11-2026
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