This is the final part in a mini-series exploring five of the major achievements missing from Tadej Pogačar’s already stunning palmarès: Milan-San Remo, Paris-Roubaix, the Vuelta a España, an Olympic title, and a record-equalling fifth Tour de France title.
Can he tick these off? We’ve taken a closer look at each race to analyse his chances.
Tadej Pogačar is going to go down as one of the greats. Not just of his generation, but one of the best cyclists ever. Even if he hung up his wheels tomorrow, the things he has achieved by 27 put him in that category already; that much is clear.
No rider has officially ever won more than five – Lance Armstrong of course, ‘won’ seven, but has been stripped of those titles due to doping – but four riders are currently tied on five. Those four are Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault, Miguel Indurain, and Jacques Anquetil – all riders who are widely regarded as greats. Pogačar currently has four Tour de France titles, the same number as Chris Froome.
Whether he will say it or not – Pogačar is historically not keen on setting out records to break – it seems obvious that the Slovenian would want to at least join the ‘Five Club’. Without getting ahead of ourselves, it doesn’t seem crazy to suggest that he could even go above and beyond and win a sixth title, given he only just turned 27. Chris Froome was 28 when he won his first Tour, let alone the rest.
So, even if the answer seems pre-determined, let’s dive a little deeper into how and when Pogačar might win Tour number five.
Three in a row in 2026
The next chance Pogačar has to win his fifth Tour de France is this coming July, and whilst he’s yet to formalise his plans for 2026, we’re fairly sure his season is going to be built around the Tour, as it has been for the last several seasons. It seems like one day he might pivot away to perhaps target the Vuelta a España, or go bigger on his Classics campaign, but for 2026, it’s likely to be about the Tour once more.
Having seen the full route, and knowing who he’s up against, and with the race less than seven months away, it…
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