Tadej Pogačar: The GOAT of Cycling, Human After All?

Tadej Pogačar: The GOAT of Cycling, Human After All? - Mondial Sports - RFI
The world cycling championships began on Sunday, September 20, 2026, in Montreal, Canada. Unfortunately, the star of the sport and two-time reigning champion of the most prestigious event was not present. Recovering from a fall during the Vuelta a España a short time ago, Tadej Pogačar withdrew from the remainder of the season. This break provided some breathing room for his competitors and allowed Mondial Sports to review the talent, career, and personality of the Slovenian champion!

Only an accident, a fall in this case, could slow down the unstoppable rise of Tadej Pogačar! While wearing the red leader's jersey, the Slovenian champion was forced to abandon approximately thirty kilometers from the finish of the eighth stage of the Vuelta a España at the end of August 2026. This Vuelta is one of the few races still missing from the extensive palmarès of the Slovenian.

The conclusion: the end of the season and a scheduled return in 2027 to see the Slovenian monster on the roads again!
The GOAT of Cycling? Even though his 2026 season is now truncated, it is by no means a failure! Tadej Pogačar notably clinched his fifth Tour de France this summer, a symbolic milestone that cements his place among the greatest cyclists in history. But does this already make him the GOAT? Our experts remain divided on the question!

In an effort to address this debate, Mondial Sports looked back this Saturday. The focus returned to the past season as well as the personality and journey of the king of cycling, who will be greatly missed by cycling enthusiasts at the end of this year. A special program dedicated to Tadej Pogačar aired at 16:10 UTC with:
- Yohann Hautbois, a journalist from l'Équipe and author of "Tadej Pogačar: For Me, Cycling is a Game," published in 2026 by Solar/L'Équipe
- Pascal Sergent, a cycling historian and president of the Friends of Paris-Roubaix.
The broadcast will be available on the page from Saturday, September 19, at 19:05.