Comparing Tadej Pogacar to Eddy Merckx has become one of the most repeated exercises in modern cycling. The emergence of the Slovenian, capable of winning on virtually all terrains and maintaining a very high level of consistency throughout the season, has reopened a debate that seemed untouchable: to what extent is it possible to approach the record of the most dominant cyclist in history.
With every major Pogacar victory, the same question comes up again, which is why it is useful to put the figures face to face to measure the road ahead. The figure of Merckx, built during a period of superiority in the sixties and seventies, remains the absolute reference. His ability to dominate Monuments, grand tours, world championships and one-day races created a standard that seemed impossible to repeat.
The current seasons, with a more specialized calendar and more spread out opponents, make it even more complex to get close to his numbers. However, Pogacar has shown such versatility that it justifies studying where he is and how many wins he would need to tie him in the most relevant sections.
We find it interesting, beyond the impossible debate of who is the GOAT, to analyze what Pogacar has to do to equal Merckx in Monuments, grand tours, World Championships and total wins. The analysis does not include additional interpretations, only a direct comparison of the two riders’ records. It also seemed appropriate to bring up Bernard Hinault, the greatest of the two.
Be the first to comment