“It’s hard for me to say whether Tadej Pogacar has actually improved” – Jonas Vingegaard unmoved by rival’s Sanremo brilliance as next chapter of Tour rivalry looms
Cycling
Tadej Pogacar’s start to 2026 has been highlighted by a long-awaited breakthrough at Milano-Sanremo, finally winning a Monument that had previously resisted him. The Slovenian also opened his campaign with victory at Strade Bianche, a race he has made his own in recent seasons. Asked to assess his rival’s level, Jonas Vingegaard offered a measured response.
“He looks a bit better. It’s hard for me to say whether he’s actually improved. You’d have to ask him that. I don’t know his numbers, so I can’t say,” Vingegaard said in conversation with TV 2.
Pogacar’s Sanremo win carried added significance given the nature of the race. After repeated attempts to force a selection on the Cipressa and Poggio in previous years, he finally made the decisive move stick and still had the sprint to finish the job against Tom Pidcock.
A rivalry defined at the Tour
Across the past five seasons, Pogacar and Vingegaard have established themselves as the two dominant figures at the Tour de France. Victories have been shared across that period, with Vingegaard taking control in 2022 and 2023 before Pogacar returned to win the following editions.
The margins between them have consistently been shaped in the mountains and in time trials, with both riders building their seasons around reaching peak condition for July.
Different paths, same target
While Pogacar has continued to expand his range, adding major one-day victories to his season, Vingegaard’s approach remains more contained. His focus is not on matching his rival across the calendar, but on building towards the races that matter most to him.
“I focus on myself. I don’t think about whether he’s there or not. I choose the races I want to ride, and I go there to win.”
That distinction has become one of the defining features of their rivalry. Pogacar’s programme stretches across the calendar, from Strade Bianche to Milano-Sanremo and towards targets such as Paris-Roubaix, while Vingegaard’s season is structured around stage racing and peaking for July.
The difference is not just in race selection, but in how each rider approaches the sport. Pogacar’s victories often come through repeated attacks and the ability to shape races across different terrains. Vingegaard, by contrast, builds his advantage over time, through consistency and control in the mountains and time trials.
Pushed higher by the rivalry
Even within that contrast, Vingegaard acknowledges the effect Pogacar has had on his own level. Competing against a rider capable of winning across so many different races has raised the standard required to win.
“Of course you have to work harder when you have a rival like Pogacar, someone who forces you to step up in order to win races. We try to get better every day, and for me it’s a big compliment if people compare us to those guys.”
Those comparisons, to rivalries such as Messi against Ronaldo or Ali against Frazier, reflect the consistency with which the two have met at the very top of the sport. Their battles have not been defined by a single season, but by a sustained period in which both have repeatedly set the benchmark.
The next chapter
The next chapter comes at the Tour de France. Pogacar arrives after finally solving Milano-Sanremo. Vingegaard, for now, remains unmoved.
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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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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