Tadej Pogacar approaches Alberto Contador's 4 Velo d'Or: Will he ever surpass it?

This past Friday, December 6, Tadej Pogacar became the fourth cyclist in history to win more than one Velo d'Or. Lance Armstrong reached 5, but each and every one of them was withdrawn after his doping scandal. Apart from the American, those who have preceded the UAE Team Emirates leader with several awards are Miguel Induráin, Alberto Contador and Chris Froome.

The Velo d'Or is the equivalent of the Ballon d'Or in football. For men's cycling, it has existed since 1992.

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• 1992: Miguel Indurain (ESP), Tony Rominger (SUI), Claudio Chiappucci (ITA)

• 1993: Miguel Indurain (ESP), Maurizio Fondriest (ITA), Tony Rominger (SUI)

• 1994: Tony Rominger (SUI), Miguel Indurain (ESP), Eugeni Berzin (RUS)

• 1995: Laurent Jalabert (FRA), Miguel Indurain (ESP), Abraham Olano (ESP)

• 1996: Johan Museeuw (BEL), Bjarne Riis (DEN), Alex Zülle (SUI)

• 1997: Jan Ullrich (GER), Laurent Jalabert (FRA), Marco Pantani (ITA)

• 1998: Marco Pantani (ITA), Michele Bartoli (ITA), Lance Armstrong (USA)

• 1999: Lance Armstrong (USA), Jan Ullrich (GER), Andrei Tchmil (BEL)

• 2000: Lance Armstrong (USA), Erik Zabel (GER), Jan Ullrich (GER)

• 2001: Lance Armstrong (USA), Erik Zabel (GER), Erik Dekker (NED)

• 2002: Mario Cipollini (ITA), Lance Armstrong (USA), Paolo Bettini (ITA)

• 2003: Lance Armstrong (USA), Paolo Bettini (ITA), Alexander Vinokourov (KAZ)

• 2004: Lance Armstrong (USA), Damiano Cunego (ITA), Óscar Freire (ESP)

• 2005: Tom Boonen (BEL), Lance Armstrong (USA), Danilo Di Luca (ITA)

• 2006: Paolo Bettini (ITA), Alejandro Valverde (ESP), Fabian Cancellara (SUI)

• 2007: Alberto Contador (ESP), Fabian Cancellara (SUI), Paolo Bettini (ITA)

• 2008: Alberto Contador (ESP), Fabian Cancellara (SUI), Carlos Sastre (ESP)

• 2009: Alberto Contador (ESP), Mark Cavendish (GBR), Fabian Cancellara (SUI)

• 2010: Fabian Cancellara (SUI), Alberto Contador (ESP), Andy Schleck (LUX)

• 2011: Philippe Gilbert (BEL), Cadel Evans (AUS), Mark Cavendish (GBR)

• 2012: Bradley Wiggins (GBR), Tom Boonen (BEL), Joaquim Rodríguez (ESP)

• 2013: Chris Froome (GBR), Vincenzo Nibali (ITA), Peter Sagan (SVK)

• 2014: Alberto Contador (ESP), Vincenzo Nibali (ITA), Alejandro Valverde (ESP)

• 2015: Chris Froome (GBR), Peter Sagan (SVK), Fabio Aru (ITA)

• 2016: Peter Sagan (SVK), Chris Froome (GBR), Nairo Quintana (COL)

• 2017: Chris Froome (GBR), Tom Dumoulin (NED), Peter Sagan (SVK)

• 2018: Alejandro Valverde (ESP), Geraint Thomas (GBR), Julian Alaphilippe (FRA).

• 2019: Julian Alaphilippe (FRA), Egan Bernal (COL), Primož Roglič (SLO).

• 2020: Primož Roglič (SLO), Tadej Pogačar (SLO), Wout van Aert (BEL)

• 2021: Tadej Pogačar (SLO), Primož Roglič (SLO), Wout van Aert (BEL)

• 2022: Remco Evenepoel (BEL), Wout van Aert (BEL), Tadej Pogačar (SLO)

• 2023: Jonas Vingegaard (DEN), Mathieu van der Poel (NED), Tadej Pogačar (SLO).

• 2024: Tadej Pogačar (SLO), Remco Evenepoel (BEL), Mathieu van der Poel (NED)

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In 2022, the award for women's cycling was born.

• 2022: Annemiek van Vleuten (NED), Lotte Kopecky (BEL), Pauline Ferrand-Prévot (FRA)

• 2023: Demi Vollering (NED), Lotte Kopecky (BEL), Annemiek van Vleuten (NED)

• 2024: Lotte Kopecky (BEL), Demi Vollering (NED), Kasia Niewiadoma (POL)

In 2023, they created the Eddy Merckx Trophy, an award for the best classics rider of the season. Since the first edition, it has been awarded simultaneously to men and women.

• 2023: Mathieu van der Poel (NED), Tadej Pogačar (SLO), Remco Evenepoel (BEL)

• 2024: Tadej Pogačar (SLO), Mathieu van der Poel (NED), Jasper Philipsen (BEL)

• 2023: Lotte Kopecky (BEL), Demi Vollering (NED), Alison Jackson (CAN)

• 2024: Lotte Kopecky (BEL)

In this year 2024, two new awards have been invented. The first one is the Chris Hoy Trophy, for the rider who has performed best among the disciplines present at the Olympic Games. That is, road, track, mountain bike, and BMX.

• 2024: Harrie Lavreysen (NED)

Finally, they have also created a Gino Mader Trophy, in honor of the cyclist who died after a terrible fall in the Tour de Suisse in 2023. It is an award for the most involved rider off the bike. The Swiss was a guy who donated money and got involved in various social causes.

• 2024: Luis Angel Maté (ESP)

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"Maybe my name will be on the trophy someday" - Tadej Pogacar reacts to multiple awards picked up at Velo d'Or 2024

Returning to the men's Velo d'Or, the question is clear. With 26 years and several seasons ahead of him at the highest level, will Pogacar be able to leave Miguel Induráin behind, overtake Chris Froome and catch up with Alberto Contador to become the cyclist who has won this award the most times?

Looking at his 2024 course, the answer seems obvious. We are still waiting to see his 2025 calendar, but all indications are that he will again attempt a Grand Tour double. The difference is that this time all indications are that it will be with the Tour de France and the Vuelta a España.

He is likely to return to the Tour of Flanders after skipping it a few months ago, will again attempt Milan-San Remo, should be at Liège-Bastogne-Liège and there is no reason why he shouldn't attempt a fifth consecutive Il Lombardia. We also expect to see him defending his rainbow jersey at the World Cup.

The riders most likely to take the Velo d'Or in 2025 are Jonas Vingegaard and Mathieu van der Poel. The Dane will be hoping to return to his best after a year complicated by his tremendous crash in the Itzulia, while the Dutchman will need to sweep the classics and shine in the other races to have a chance.

Remco Evenepoel is not to be discounted, but in a year without the Olympics he will have to smash the competition in Rwanda and surely take a Grand Tour to try to argue with Pogacar or Vingegaard.