“It defies the imagination" - Tom Boonen calls Tadej Pogacar's 100km attack 'the most amazing' thing he has seen at a World Championship

The incredible Tadej Pogacar crowned himself champion of the world on Sunday afternoon in Zurich. It's not hyperbolic to say the Slovenian did so with one of the greatest rides of all time either, and this is an opinion shared by the 2005 world champion in Madrid, Tom Boonen.

“It defies the imagination,” says the now 43-year-old Belgian in his post-race analysis for Sporza's Wielerclub Wattage podcast, calling Pogacar's performance in Zurich, "the most amazing" thing he has ever seen at a World Championships. "He creates chaos among the opposition. He has never been hunted in an organised manner. I don't think he really started with a plan, he just tried something. And then he'll see."

Due to the fact that he attacked at 100km to go, Boonen also doesn't think Pogacar went full gas, knowing he couldn't empty the tank with such a long way still to go. "Once he had that lead, he never gave 100%," Boonen ponders thoughtfully. "To be able to keep up that long solo. Which makes his victory even greater," the Belgian cycling legend concludes. 

"Tadej Pogacar gave the rest a unique opportunity to beat him. But they didn't catch him. Which shows how exceptionally strong he was," adds Jan Bakelants, a three time World Championship competitor in the men's elite road race for Belgium, on the same podcast. "In the last lap Pogacar was on the verge of capsizing. He made it harder for himself than it had to be. Pogacar made himself vulnerable, while he could have been untouchable. If I were an emotional person - which I'm not - tears would be rolling down my cheeks. This was perfection. I can't believe you can pull this off. It doesn't get any better than this, unless both Remco Evenepoel and Tadej have a top day and we get a duel of the titans."