"You have to be crazy to do that" - Eddy Merckx impressed by Tadej Pogacar's World Champion ride

In 1974, Eddy Merckx took the 'triple crown', which is the victory at the Giro d'Italia, Tour de France and World Championships in the same season. Over the past few years he's been seeing Tadej Pogacar being compared to the Belgian quite a lot and perhaps more than ever now that the Slovenian has done the same achievement after an unbelievable season.

“What he did is truly incredible. I have no words for it. You have to be crazy to do that," Merckx said in words to Le Parisien following the triumph of Pogacar in Zurich. It was an attack further away then what most expected, certainly that included Remco Evenepoel and Mathieu van der Poel who thought it was a suicidal attacked. Merckx also believed that.

"When he attacked, I started to fear for him. I assured him that Tadej had left far too early. Normally it is impossible to win after such a long attack, but Tadej did it.” It was with a strong tactical move that included Jan Tratnik from an attacking group and then a whole lot of power that Pogacar was able to hold off the strong classics riders and climbers from the peloton.

After winning almost everything he's raced over this season, his winning streak has no end and for the first time in his career he has conquered the rainbow jersey. A feat that adds to the illustrious palmarès that he has been building since turning pro in 2019.

For Merckx, there is no doubt: “He is the strongest rider of his generation. There is no doubt about that anymore. You know, at my age it takes a lot to blow me away. Well, Tadej did it. I suspected he could become world champion, but never like this. He really is the best – congratulations," he concluded.