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eddy merckx it is accepted tadej pogakar “Better than me” as the Belgian great declared the Slovenian’s World Championship win “unimaginable”.
Pogacar continues his extraordinary year win an adventurous road race In Switzerland to complete cycling “triple Crown“, to secure first rainbow jersey To go along with the Giro d’Italia and Tour de France Victory.
Merckx was the first to complete the triptych in 1974, and it had only been imitated once before (Stephen Roche, 1987).
But Pogacar’s outstanding performance with victory in 2024 goes beyond the three primary awards The iconic Strade Bianche and Liège-Bastogne-Liège Classics.
The Slovenian was long considered the only person capable of equaling Merckx’s achievements, which was by now widely considered As the greatest male cyclist of all time.
And after his 100km solo victory at the Worlds in Zurich, the Belgian believes he has moved beyond that.
“He is superior to me,” said Merckx. french newspaper Team“It is clear that he is above me now. When I saw what he did in the last Tour de France, I was already thinking so a little deeper, but, tonight, there is no doubt about it.
“Obviously, we can’t compare eras, but here we are dealing with an incredible rider. I did not attack 100 kilometers before the finish in the World Championships. What he achieved today is unimaginable.”
Pogacar had been the favorite in Zurich but few expected the long-range move to give him victory.
The mountain path was perfect for the 26-year-old had left the Olympics Partly to prioritize preparation for the world titles.
“I put a lot of pressure on myself for today,” said the three-time Tour de France winner. “There was pressure on me for myself and for the team. We have come here to win.
“Winning the World Championship after a great season was a really big goal and I can’t believe it happened. Maybe I attacked foolishly but luckily Jan (Tratnik) was with me and I never gave up till the final. It’s an incredible day.”