Armstrong (and Contador) explain why the unstoppable Pogacar is at risk against Vingegaard: "The mental game is real"

Armstrong points out how cycling is now ruled by a small group of untouchables. Out of the last 24 major classics, 21 have been won by either Tadej Pogačar, Mathieu van der Poel, or Remco Evenepoel. “The exceptions are Mohorič and Philipsen at Milan–San Remo, and Van Baarle at Paris–Roubaix. Other than that, these three have taken every big classic.”

Still, it is the world champion who stands head and shoulders above the rest. “It’s not just the number of times he wins. It’s the way he wins. Pogačar gives no one else a chance. He does not sit back anymore, he just goes out and does his thing. It’s like the London Marathon, imagine someone winning by a full minute. Or winning the Masters at Augusta by 15 shots. You just don’t see that kind of dominance at the highest level. And Pogačar does it, time and time again.”

“What Pogačar is doing is more unique than anything you see in most other sports. He is the world champion, he is number one in the world rankings, and he wins everywhere — no matter the terrain, no matter the race. That is incredibly rare. In Liège, he was the heavy favorite. Some people thought Remco Evenepoel might challenge him after following his moves at the Amstel Gold Race. But we saw a different Pogačar this time, a fully recharged version after his tough spring campaign in Flanders.”

Bruyneel backed the words of his former protégé but also highlighted Pogačar’s sharp race instinct. When the moment comes, the Slovenian is wide awake. “He heard over race radio that Evenepoel was struggling and immediately decided to go all-in. That is not just power, that is pure cold-blooded race intelligence. How frustrating must it be for the rest of the peloton to know that a top-form Pogačar is simply untouchable?”

The only place where Tadej Pogačar can realistically be beaten this year is the Tour de France. Jonas Vingegaard is hunting his third straight yellow jersey and Bruyneel sees a real shot for him and Visma to pull it off. “Jonas and the Visma squad need to fully believe in their plan. Remember, he had a hard crash and injured his wrist, but it is not nearly as bad as last year. Back then he was still in the hospital at this point. Now he is already deep into training.”

Pogačar, meanwhile, has gone through a brutal spring campaign while Vingegaard and Visma | Lease a Bike have kept their eyes locked on the Tour. “They have to stay laser focused on that one goal and peak exactly when it matters. That gives them a mental advantage. Still, Pogačar has not shown a single weakness. Last year he was dominant but this spring he looks even stronger. And his UAE Team Emirates squad looks rock solid, which is not something you can really say about Visma right now.”

Alberto Contador considers Pogačar's demanding spring schedule a significant opportunity for Vingegaard in July. "I am convinced that Tadej's setup, with almost two months of races, is not the best way to head into the Tour,” the former Spanish rider told Eurosport. ”I believe that is why the team told him after the Amstel: Tadej, you don't have to start from kilometer 70 or 80. We need to be efficient and conserve our energy."

Back in Liège, a hot topic emerged about Evenepoel’s tough day on the bike. “He was the other big favorite, a two-time winner, and he simply had a complete off day. This is not his level,” said his countryman. “He was far back at the start of La Redoute and it was not just about positioning. He admitted he was completely spent in the final hour, but he did not make excuses. He is just coming back after a long period of inactivity. You are going to have ups and downs. He will fight back, but it is a disappointment, both for him and for the team.”

Soudal Quick-Step finds itself in a tough spot according to Bruyneel. “They rebuilt the team from a cobbled classics squad into one fully centered around Remco. They did a good job supporting him during the race, but if your leader is not on a good day, there is little you can do. But can he reach Pogacar’s level? At this moment, my answer is no.”