Tadej Pogacar achieved a remarkable milestone on Sunday by securing his fifth victory in the Tour de France, tying the record held by legendary cyclists Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault, and Miguel Induráin. In a dramatic conclusion to the event, Mathieu van der Poel clinched his second stage win on the iconic Champs-Élysées, narrowly outpacing a group of sprinters after breaking away with Pogacar on the final ascent of the Butte de Montmartre.
Eddy Merckx, often regarded as the greatest cyclist of all time due to his extensive accomplishments beyond just the Tour, expressed his belief that Pogacar is poised to secure a sixth title. “I doubt he’ll be satisfied with merely matching my record and those of other champions,” the 81-year-old Belgian remarked. “He will likely surpass our achievements in Tour victories.”
The 2026 Tour was marked by oppressive heat and wildfires, yet Pogacar showcased his dominance throughout the race, culminating in his fifth triumph.
Pogacar stood unmatched in this year’s Tour de France, setting records on two of cycling’s toughest climbs, the Col du Tourmalet and Alpe d’Huez, while also guiding his teammate, Isaac del Toro, to a commendable third place overall.
In a different context, Remco Evenepoel, the Olympic road race champion, might have claimed his first Tour victory, and French newcomer Paul Seixas ascended to the podium. Their misfortune, coupled with Jonas Vingegaard’s crash, highlights the challenge of competing against Pogacar and his formidable UAE Emirates XRG team.
A more focused and determined Evenepoel has silenced skeptics, reaffirming his position as a serious contender for future victories in Paris. However, he is aware that Pogacar may need to step away from the sport before he can achieve his own triumph.
The statistics paint a picture of one of the most dominant performances in the Tour’s recent history. Pogacar won the overall race by a margin of nearly six and a half minutes, secured five stage victories, and set record times on iconic climbs in both the Pyrenees and the Alps. He might have added a sixth stage win, had he not chosen to allow Del Toro to take victory in stage two.
However, the context of his monumental success cannot be overlooked. While Pogacar is undoubtedly a remarkable talent, his team carries a history of controversy. Team manager Mauro Gianetti noted, “Pogacar is so strong that questions will inevitably arise regarding his team.” A day before the peloton reached Paris, Gianetti described Pogacar as a “victim” of past scandals tied to his team.
The most notorious incident involved the Saunier Duval scandal in 2008, when Gianetti’s team withdrew from the Tour following a positive blood-doping test for their star rider, Riccardo Riccò. Riccò and his teammate Leonardo Piepoli were dismissed, leading to a loss of sponsorship.
Concerns about Pogacar’s team resurfaced after both he and Vingegaard underwent overnight testing by the Independent Testing Agency (ITA) last weekend. These tests, authorized by a Parisian judge, received backing from Tour de France director Christian Prudhomme and the UCI.
In a statement released three days post-testing, the UCI labeled the controls as “an exceptional measure, employed in specific, justified situations.”
This situation leaves the accomplishments of Pogacar and Vingegaard somewhat ambiguous. Nevertheless, Pogacar is anticipated to compete in the Vuelta a España in August, aiming to capture the only Grand Tour title that has eluded him thus far. Currently, at 27 years old, he is at the pinnacle of his abilities, and few would wager against his success in achieving a Grand Tour grand slam.
Looking ahead, next year’s Tour will kick off in Scotland. In a recent interview with the Guardian, Prudhomme hailed Edinburgh as “a magical city” and expressed hope that the Tour’s presence could rejuvenate major cycling events across different regions of Great Britain. “Every time the Tour has visited the UK, it has contributed to the growth of the Tour de France,” he remarked. “Harnessing the Tour to bring significant cycling events back to various parts of Great Britain would be fantastic, as the UK has given the Tour an enormous amount.”
