Looks like the ‘greatest cyclist of all time’ debate is alive and kicking again.
It all seemed a done deal on Sunday evening when, in the wake of Tadej Pogačar’s devastating, Cannibal-esque 100km attack to win the world road race championships, Eddy Merckx himself appeared to admit defeat, telling L’Équipe “that it’s obvious that he is now above me”.
“Deep down, I already thought as much when I saw what he did on the last Tour de France, but tonight there’s no more doubt about it,” the Belgian – widely regarded as the finest male rider the sport’s seen – told the French newspaper after Pogačar joined him and Stephen Roche as the only men to secure the Giro-Tour-Worlds triple crown in a single season.
> “It’s obvious that he is now above me”: Eddy Merckx casts his vote in the GOAT debate… and he reckons Pogačar has now nipped ahead with “unimaginable” world championships victory
“Obviously, you can never compare eras, but this is an incredible rider. I didn’t attack with 100 kilometres to go in a world championship, but what he has done is unimaginable. It’s something we’ll remember for a very long time.
“He took a lot of risks against [Mathieu] van der Poel and [Remco] Evenepoel, but that didn’t scare him. That’s when you realise that Pogačar is an immense champion. He’s out of the ordinary.”
(Zac Williams/SWpix.com)
However, after a brief period of reflection on his own cycling legacy, Merckx has suddenly backtracked on his comments, insisting to Spanish site Relevo today that he was simply comparing Pogačar’s exploit in Zurich and his own worlds wins individually, and not their overall careers, before cheekily adding that the UAE Team Emirates rider “has a long way to go to be better than Eddy Merckx”.
When questioned by Relevo on his comments to L’Équipe, Merckx said: “I was referring to what he did at the world championships, on that particular course.
“It was incredible, and I said it like I thought it, but no, beyond that, I don’t think Pogačar is better than Eddy Merckx. He has only won three Tours. He is not better than me yet. He has a long way to go to be better than Eddy Merckx.”
When asked who he thinks, then, is the greatest rider of all time, the five-time Tour de France winner was equally unequivocal.
“I don’t know if it’s right for me to say this, but I think there are few cases of a cyclist who has competed and won so many races from January to December. There was a year in which I did about 190 days of competition. Now, however, they race about 80 days a year, no more.
“Pogačar does a bit of everything, it’s true, but few do what we did, contest the classics, the monuments, and the grand tours by stages. I think there is no comparison.
“He is a very strong cyclist, the best of his generation for sure. But look at what happened last year, Vingegaard was stronger than him at the Tour. And this year, when I think Vingegaard was not yet 100 per cent, he finished second.
“I don’t know, we’ll have to see how the rivalry develops in the coming years. What is clear is that Pogačar has a lot of class.”
Oof. Looks like the GOAT battle – however complicated, contrived, and somewhat meaningless it may be – has recommenced.
(Ed Sykes/SWpix.com)
Of course, as I mentioned on the live blog on Monday, it might be worth pointing out to Merckx – who was quick to note that Pogačar only has three Tours to his name, compared to the Belgian’s five – that at the same age (26), he had only taken two Tour de France victories, and had won the same number of world championship, Tour of Flanders, and Liège-Bastogne-Liège titles as the Slovenian.
To pull at that thread further, Merckx had two Giros to his credit by the time he turned 26, compared to Pogačar’s one, four editions of Milan-Sanremo, which the Slovenian is yet to win (not for want of trying), and two Paris-Roubaixs, which Pogačar is yet to attempt.
However, at that age Merckx was yet to win the Tour of Lombardy (he would go on to win two), while Pogačar is aiming to win his fourth straight Race of the Falling Leaves next Saturday.
Let’s just say, it’ll be worth revisiting this debate in a few years’ time.
Add new comment
68 comments
You'd think the army would be rather hotter on drivetrain maintenance.
I didn't sign up the first time I saw it - I'm not going to just because you showed it to me again (no matter how badly I may or may not treat my bike).
Besides, I don't think there's any chance of me passing for 19 any more.
Great! Another SUV to add to the pile of "sportscars" that are terrible as sportscars. I don't see the attraction. Their high center of gravity gives them crappy handling and the high driving position ruins the perception of speed, which is the whole point of a sportscar - they're supposed to make you feel like you're going fast when you aren't. They also have poor aerodymics and weigh too much, so you have to make massively overcompensate to make it fast again. A smaller, lighter, lower and more aerodynamic car with the same engine would run rings around it, and it'd be way more fun to drive!
I think that t 194mph you'l still get a perception of speed!
True, but I doubt it would do well on a racetrack.
Great!!
Another wanker in an overblown SUV.
Stick to the over priced watches Mark.
The car fetish makes you look desperate.
You could always get a job like the rest of us, if money is tight....
Wow, that new car of Sir Mark Cavendish looks mega, I wouldn't mind upgrading my slightly slower and significantly less luxurious SUV to one of those Aston Martins A man known best for his speed should IMO befittingly ride a car known for speed.
AFAIK the Isle of Man is the only public place in the British Isles with no national speed limit, so he can drive it at 194mph if he wants to. Their roads - IIRC - are about double England's for KSI.
Cav should know better, and is a complete prat.
The incident, which took place with around 59km remaining on Sunday’s elite men’s road race, saw Van der Poel jump up on the footpath to accelerate past Remco Evenepoel, Jai Hindley, and Tobia Johannessen
In the excitement of the moment, I've done similar, not to Remco admittedly, but it was in the P-R Sportive this April. It seemed a good idea at the time. You can watch that moment here:
https://youtu.be/4kow51qIAv8?t=2825
I think you could've been DQ'd for lingering on the pavement, but would have got away with the initial mount around the corner.
That's SIR Mark Cavendish.
He was knighted sometime around midday today, so when the article was written at 7AM he wasn't a sir…
No, you can use the title as soon as it is announced in the Gazette, you don't have to wait for the investiture. https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/honours/#:~:text=There%20can%20some....
Live and learn, I assumed one actually had to go through the official sword-walloping process before one was fully accredited.
Maybe, one day, if he actually achieves something, he'll be made a Lord.
Like Charlotte
JohnsonOwen?..
The excellent Marina Hyde mentions her participation in this article. Apparently taking her role quite seriously. I'm no fan of her enoblemet, but she seems to be giving it a good go.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/sep/17/charlotte-owen-sex...
She also points out that there is no real evidence of there having been any improper goings-on between the lady and a former PM.
I never suggested there have been. Between a former PM and the lady's mother, now that's another question entirely.
You don't get to be a Lord by achieving things; you get to be Lord by getting in with the right people.
I believe what they say on the internet is "Whoosh".
If Amanda Holden is reliably informed that the majority of dangerous driving reports come from OTHER DRIVERS do you think she will...
a) Shut up
b) Direct her ire at other drivers
c) Double down on cyclists
?
I wouldn't bet on a or b.
"Camera operator Pog then turned to his partner and Liv AlUla Jayco pro Liv AlUla Jayco".
I may be wrong but i don't think her name is Liv Alula Jayco.
Cav was by all accounts a boy racer in his youth.
Clearly nothing's changed, except his bank balance.
Maybe he's auditioning for Top Gear?
It's well documented.
Just what the world needs: 3 ton 10mpg 200mph tractor.
I'd certainly not turn one away if it was offered to me.
Pages