Museeuw and Merckx worried about Pogacar: 'Same lifestyle that contributed to Sagan's decline'

Tadej Pogacar has dominated the world of cycling across virtually every terrain in recent years. In the Classics, only Mathieu van der Poel appears capable of threatening him, while elsewhere the world champion seems untouchable. But how long can that level be sustained? Johan Museeuw and Axel Merckx have their doubts, and not on a physical level. They fear that the Slovenian’s mind may eventually struggle to keep up.

Museeuw has never been Pogacar's biggest fan. "You get the feeling that it’s always the same rider who wins,” he told La Dernière Heure.'You get the feeling that it's always the same rider who wins,' he told La Dernière Heure. “What I find even more regrettable is that tactics play an increasingly small role in modern cycling. Simply put, everything at UAE Team Emirates is very straightforward. They control the race for three hours, then Pogacar attacks with 80 or 100 kilometres to go and wins solo.”

Merckx, by contrast, speaks with greater admiration. “I prefer not to compare generations, but today he dominates the way my father once did. Beyond his incredible list of achievements, what impresses me most is the freshness he still shows after the finish. At the end of the last World Championships, when everyone else was completely exhausted, you almost wondered whether he had really spent more than six hours on the bike."

After 20 victories, the world title, the European title, the Tour de France and wins in three Monuments, it was time for Pogacar’s off-season. But while many riders disappeared from view for a few weeks, the Slovenian was frequently seen at criteriums and ceremonial appearances, including events in Gran Canaria. Museeuw believes that could be a mistake, and one that may come at a price.

“In my view, this period should mainly be a mental rest,” The Lion of Flanders explained. “His mind needs to recharge, and I’m curious to see how the Slovenian will handle all this. A few years ago, I think it was that same lifestyle that contributed to Peter Sagan’s decline. Even when you’re at the top, you need a bit of rest.”

Merckx agrees. “Everywhere he goes, there’s a constant level of attention focused on him, and that’s what becomes so exhausting. I was too young to realise it at the time, but when my father talks about the end of his career, it was mainly the mental fatigue - far more than the physical fatigue - that affected him most. At a certain point, your brain tells your legs to stop.”

That mental collapse is not expected to happen next season. In 2026, Pogacar will still start as the outright favourite in every race he enters, including Paris–Roubaix and Milano–Sanremo, where he was beaten by Mathieu van der Poel in 2025. Museeuw and Merckx hope the Alpecin-Deceuninck rider can once again provide genuine opposition.

“The biggest problem for Pogacar in La Primavera, but also in Paris–Roubaix, is Van der Poel,” Merckx states, drawing a blunt conclusion. "Without the Dutchman, Pogi would already have won all the Monuments. It’s that simple. Fortunately for those who think Pogacar is too dominant, Mathieu can make life difficult for him in one-day races.”

Museeuw sees Van der Poel as a true Flandrien.“If I could reincarnate as a current rider in the peloton, I would choose Van der Poel without hesitation. Pogacar is obviously the best rider in the world, but I love the class Mathieu exudes and the fact that he only races to win. That’s the only thing that interests him.”

According to Merckx, Van der Poel also manages rest better than Pogacar. “I really admire the way he approaches this aspect of his career. Between the Classics, he returns to his apartment in Spain to enjoy a relaxed environment, he plays golf to clear his head after racing. He understands that the mind is just as important as the body.”