“If Tadej Pogacar were American or British…” – Fabian Cancellara says Slovenian superstar’s greatness is not fully appreciated

Few riders in modern cycling command the kind of attention that Tadej Pogacar generates inside the sport. Monument victories, Grand Tour triumphs and a relentless attacking instinct have made the Slovenian one of the defining athletes of his generation.

Yet according to Fabian Cancellara, Pogacar’s influence on the sport may still not be fully recognised beyond cycling’s core audience. “Pogacar has helped cycling grow and has taken the sport to another level, especially globally,” the Swiss legend said in conversation with Sporza. “If he were American or British, his impact would be even greater.”

For Cancellara, Pogacar’s rise has helped push cycling into a new phase of global visibility. But the Tudor Pro Cycling boss also believes the rider’s nationality inevitably shapes how widely that impact is acknowledged. “That he is currently the best rider is clear,” he added. “But I’m not making comparisons with riders like Eddy Merckx. This is a different era.”

Cancellara also noted an intriguing element of Pogacar’s 2026 season: a lighter racing calendar than in previous years. “Pogacar is also racing much less this year. I am curious about that approach. As long as he is motivated and enjoying riding his bike, it’s fine.”

The discussion about Pogacar’s place in the sport comes as he prepares for another potentially historic moment at Strade Bianche.

The Slovenian currently shares the record of three victories with Cancellara himself, who dominated earlier editions of the Tuscan gravel race in 2008, 2012 and 2016. Pogacar matched that tally with wins in 2022, 2024 and 2025, meaning another triumph would see him stand alone as the event’s most successful rider.

Both riders have left a permanent mark on the course. Pogacar was recently honoured with a gravel sector on the Colle Pinzuto climb bearing his name, while the demanding Monte Sante Marie sector has long carried Cancellara’s name.

“Something like that is an honour, very special,” Cancellara said. “This is still quite a young race, especially in the period when I won. When you look at the increased interest, that gesture feels even more special. This is part of the history of our sport. It’s fantastic.”

Cancellara acknowledges that Pogacar will once again start among the clear favourites to win in Tuscany. “On paper, it is fairly clear, but the race still has to be ridden.”

And if the Slovenian does break the record this weekend, the Swiss insists he will have no problem seeing his own mark surpassed. “If Tadej wins, I have absolutely no problem with that. It is an honour to share that title with him. But if someone from Tudor wins, I will be even happier,” he added with a smile.

While Pogacar’s pursuit of a fourth Strade Bianche victory dominates the build-up, one of the race’s most explosive riders will once again be absent from the Tuscan start line.

Mathieu van der Poel, winner of the race in 2021 after a spectacular late attack into Siena, has chosen not to include Strade Bianche in his spring programme.

His absence has reignited debate about whether the race has gradually become too demanding for riders whose main objectives lie in the cobbled Classics. Earlier this week, Van der Poel’s team suggested that the increasingly demanding course, with its growing elevation and longer gravel climbs, has shifted the race profile.

Cancellara, however, takes a different view.

“Has Strade become too hard? Yes and no,” he said. “The Strade has become more difficult, but I am convinced that Van der Poel would have a chance here.”

Rather than the terrain itself, the Swiss believes the explanation lies in how riders structure their seasons. “This race perhaps just did not fit into his planning. Nobody needs to judge that.”

For now, that leaves Pogacar once again at the centre of the story when the peloton rolls onto Tuscany’s white gravel roads, chasing both victory and a place alone in the history of one of cycling’s most distinctive races.