“Pogacar is simply a winner and does it his way” – But Boogerd argues Slovenian’s dominance is ‘not fun to watch’
Cycling
Michael Boogerd has been sharing his thoughts with De Telegraaf
ahead of today’s Il Lombardia, the final Monument of the 2025 season. The
spotlight, as always, falls on Tadej Pogacar, who will chase an unprecedented
fifth consecutive victory in the race, a feat that would tie him with Fausto
Coppi for the most wins in history. UAE Team Emirates - XRG also bring rising
star Isaac del Toro, but Boogerd doubts there will be any generosity from
Pogacar toward his young teammate.
"I can't imagine him handing it over to anyone else,
because he can achieve a unique fifth consecutive victory," Boogerd said.
"It might not be fun to watch, but that guy can't help it that he's way
above the rest. You don't want to stay and make it more exciting for the viewer
at the risk of losing."
According to Boogerd, it will likely be another solo
masterclass. "Pogacar is simply a winner and does it his way. I can
certainly see the beauty in that. And if he weren't there, it would be Remco
Evenepoel who would leave the others without a chance. You first have Pogacar
who is many steps ahead, and then Evenepoel who is many steps ahead of the rest
of the field."
Still, Boogerd believes there is one man who could make
Pogacar sweat. "The only man who could truly hold his own against Pogacar
is our own Mathieu van der Poel. During Milan–San Remo and Paris–Roubaix,
Pogacar really had to acknowledge his superiority in a one-day race."
For Pogacar, Il Lombardia marks both a personal target and
the conclusion of a remarkable campaign. “Obviously, Lombardia is the final
Monument of the year and the last race of my season,” said Pogacar in a UAE
Team Emirates release. “It’s been one of my big goals in this final block of
racing. The shape is there, the legs are good, the team is strong, so I’m very
much looking forward to the race. This season has been a pretty amazing one
all-round for the team. I feel lucky to be part of this special group and I
hope we can keep it going for this weekend and into the future.”
Fin MajorCycling Journalist
Fin Major is a UK-based writer at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2024. He is the site’s main writer for FAQs and evergreen explainers and has written around 2,000 pieces for the platform. Alongside this work, he focuses on in-depth analysis and covers the biggest races on the calendar, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, providing clear context around performance trends, tactics, and key storylines.
In his reporting, Fin uses reputable data sources such as ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. Outside of writing, Fin is an active cyclist, which supports his practical understanding of the sport and its demands.
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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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