Is Tadej Pogacar's dominance boring? Thomas Voeckler thinks riders are racing "for second place"

Thomas Voeckler, a former professional cyclist with four Tour de France stage wins and a mountains classification victory in 2012, now serves as the coach of the French national team. Speaking to Cyclism’Actu, Voeckler shared his thoughts on the Paris Olympic Games, where French riders secured two road cycling medals, and reflected on Tadej Pogacar’s dominant season.

When asked about his emotions following the Olympics, Voeckler revealed a surprising lack of sentimentality. While the French team’s success exceeded expectations, with two riders joining Remco Evenepoel on the podium, Voeckler quickly turned his focus to upcoming challenges.

“But it's clear that it exceeded our expectations, you have to look at things objectively. If we had been told that there would be two French riders behind Remco Evenepoel on the podium... I believed in being able to play for the title, I was even convinced of it, but as I think of other riders at the start, you only have to look at the pedigree of the ranking,” he explained. Reflecting on the absence of Tadej Pogacar, he added, “If you just remove Pogacar... well ‘just’ is perhaps not the right term. Besides, just a parenthesis on Pogacar, I am convinced that if he had been there, it would have completely changed the situation and the race. They say that those who are absent are always wrong, but it didn't bother me that he wasn't there... Anyway, it was all the better for us.”

While the achievement was historic, Voeckler admitted that his emotions were far more subdued than expected. “For me, the Olympics, the Saturday after the race, the next day I was driving Paul Brousse's car for the girls, and the page was turned. It doesn't seem so hard like that, but that's how I work.” Despite the extraordinary atmosphere and fervour surrounding the Olympics, Voeckler maintained his focus. “Even when Valentin (Madouas) crossed the line, I didn't react, I was waiting to see what it would be like for Christophe (Laporte). And only then did we yell in the car."

Voeckler’s pragmatic approach reflects his professional ethos. “I’ve turned the page, but that doesn’t mean I’m not proud, that I don’t enjoy what the guys did and the adventure we had,” he clarified, emphasising his forward-thinking mentality as the team’s coach.

Turning his attention to the current state of cycling, Voeckler lauded Tadej Pogacar’s unprecedented dominance in 2024, comparing his feats to those of cycling legend Eddy Merckx. “It's a Merckx year, in an era that is no longer Merckx's. Where everything has evolved, where competition is normally much more globalized, where everyone has more or less the same working methods.”

For Voeckler, Pogacar’s success stands out even more given the level playing field of modern cycling. “What he did is for me even stronger than what Merckx did. Eddy Merckx and Bernard Hinault, they were just stronger at the base, they just had to push the pedals. Pogacar is the strongest today, even though everything is optimised.”

Voeckler noted how the sport has evolved, highlighting the words of Romain Bardet. “The words that struck me were those of Romain Bardet. In an interview at the beginning of the year, he said that what only 10 riders were capable of doing 7 or 8 years ago, there are 40 who can do as well today. That gives you an idea, Romain is not someone who talks in the air like that.”

While he praised Pogacar’s panache and the brilliance of his exploits, Voeckler admitted that the Slovenian’s dominance can sometimes lead to a lack of excitement in races. “When he starts so far from the finish, behind it's thrilling, but it's just for 2nd place,” Voeckler remarked. He also drew parallels to Mathieu van der Poel’s performance at Paris-Roubaix, describing it as “magnificent” but similarly lacking entertainment.