Predator and puppeteer — Pogačar dominates the Tour de France stage

At just 26, Tadej Pogačar has turned the Tour de France into his kingdom, claiming his fourth title on Sunday and cementing a reign that recalls the hunger of Eddy Merckx and the iron grip of Lance Armstrong — yet feels entirely his own.

This victory was more than just a triumph — it was a showcase of transformation. Pogačar started the race as a lively, daring rider, delighting fans with audacious attacks and celebrating stage wins with unrestrained exuberance.

Yet as the gruelling three-week event wore on, the Slovenian’s demeanour shifted. The joy gave way to cold, calculating focus, showcasing his ability to transition from a crowd-pleaser to a commanding leader.

Only in the final stage did Pogačar spring back to life in a ride resembling a one-day classic, during which he fought an epic duel with Belgian Wout van Aert.

While he did not win, the joy of racing was briefly back as the world champion found a challenge at his measure.

Through the first two weeks, Pogačar appeared unstoppable, claiming four stage wins, putting the hammer down on the climb to Hautacam and adding a dominant performance in the uphill time trial on Stage 13. That victory stretched his lead over Jonas Vingegaard to more than four minutes, reinforcing his position as the man to beat.

His early attacks were bold, his energy seemingly endless. Fans witnessed the Pogačar they adored — smiling at the summit, waving to children on the roadside, and revelling in the pure joy of racing.

However, the Alpine stages brought a noticeable change. Pogačar’s appetite for stage victories diminished, replaced by a deliberate focus on controlling the race.

On the climb to La Plagne, Pogačar allowed Thymen Arensman to claim the stage win, focusing instead on neutralising Vingegaard’s chances of winning the stage.

That level of authority brought echoes of Armstrong’s dominance in the early 2000s, although the context was vastly different. The psychological command over the race, however, felt familiar.

Rivals stopped plotting to beat Pogačar; they plotted to survive.

“It was one of the hardest, if not the hardest, Tours I’ve been in,” Pogačar told reporters, emphasising the physical and mental challenges of defending his lead over three weeks.

The Slovenian’s calm demeanour occasionally cracked under pressure. After enduring repeated accelerations from rivals during a mountain stage, he described their tactics as “a bit annoying”.

While Pogačar never appeared physically vulnerable, his transition from carefree to businesslike reflected the immense weight of leadership.

Even when Matteo Jorgenson launched an attack, Pogačar personally shut it down despite the American posing no threat to his overall lead — a testament to his meticulous control.

Comparisons to Merckx

Every milestone Pogačar achieves revives comparisons with Merckx, cycling’s “Cannibal”, who devoured everything in his path. The Belgian claimed five Tours, Giro-Tour doubles, and Monument wins during his remarkable career.

With four Tour titles, one Giro win, multiple Monuments, and a world championship to his name, Pogačar is the closest to Merckx’s level seen in decades.

Bernard Hinault, one of four riders with five Tour wins, remarked that Pogačar is “like me and Merckx”, while Merckx himself admitted that Pogačar’s world title ride surpassed his own on that day.

The defining question now is whether Pogačar can match Merckx’s record of five Tour victories. His 2024 season — winning the Giro, Tour, and World Championships — echoes Merckx’s mythical 1974 campaign.

The way Pogačar is able to control a race feels organic, driven by raw talent, versatility, and a calm confidence that suggests inevitability rather than fear.

Yet the final week of the Tour revealed another layer to Pogačar’s character: the strain of expectation. Though his joy faded as the race progressed, replaced by steely determination, it is this duality — exuberance and strain, predator and puppet master — that makes  Pogačar a compelling figure in modern cycling.

With four Tour wins at 26, Pogačar stands tantalisingly close to the immortal mark of five titles, cementing his place among cycling’s greats.  DM 

Factbox 

• Born: 21 September 1998
• Age: 26
• Grand Tour titles (5)
• Tour de France (4): 2020, 2021, 2024 and 2025
• Giro d’Italia (1): 2024

Statistics

• Pogačar is the sixth rider to win four Tour de France titles after Chris Froome (4), Bernard Hinault (5), Jacques Anquetil (5), Eddy Merckx (5) and Miguel Indurain (5).
• En route to his 2025 win, Pogačar set the record for the fastest ascent of the Mont Ventoux during Stage 16, riding up in 54 minutes and 41 seconds — one minute 10 seconds faster than the previous best mark set by Spain’s Iban Mayo in 2004.
• In 2024, he became the first rider to achieve a Giro-Tour double since Marco Pantani (1998).
• In 2024, Pogačar claimed the Giro, Tour and World Championship Road Race in the same season, an achievement shared only with Eddy Merckx in 1974 and Stephen Roche in 1987.
• In 2020, Pogacar became the youngest rider to win the Tour de France since Henri Cornet in 1904, the second-youngest ever.

Early career

• Coached by former world road race bronze medallist and fellow Slovenian Andrej Hauptman.
• In 2016, he took third place in the European championships' road race.
• 2018 was Pogačar ‘s breakthrough year. He won the Tour de l’Avenir, a stage race for young riders often seen as a springboard for the Tour de France. He also won the mountains classification in that race. DM