‘Everybody knows Tadej is the best rider in the world’ – is a rainbow jersey inevitable for Pogačar?

What do Eddy Merckx, Fausto Coppi and Bernard Hinault all have in common? Aside from their joint status as cycling greats, they excelled not only in Grand Tours but also in the sport’s most prestigious one-day race, at some point becoming World Champions and earning the right to the coveted rainbow jersey.

As the 2010s wore on, Chris Froome and other GC-focused riders began to specialise more in pursuit of the Tour, Giro and Vuelta, making it increasingly unlikely anyone in men’s cycling would once again match the exploits of Merckx and co in terms of their versatility.