Pogacar “isn’t riding to win the Tour anymore”: U.S. ex-pros see a record-chasing Slovenian in 2026

If 2025 wasn’t the year of Tadej Pogacar, whose was it? The Slovenian, flying the flag for UAE Emirates-XRG, dominated the sport and there’s little to suggest next season will be any different, says former white-jersey winner Tejay van Garderen. The American ex-pro doesn’t see much hope for the opposition.

A quick look at Pogacar’s 2025 tells the story: he won almost everything he started. The spring Classics brought the odd defeat, but from there it was one-way traffic: UAE Tour, Strade Bianche, Tour of Flanders, Flèche Wallonne, Liège-Bastogne-Liège, Critérium du Dauphiné, Tour de France, World Championships, European Championships and Il Lombardia. Another casually outrageous year from the Slovenian.

He did it looking untroubled, too. Pogacar crushed the Tour de France for a third overall title, after being beaten by Jonas Vingegaard in 2022 and 2023. The gap between the two leading men was already clear last year; this summer confirmed it’s still at least as big.

“A couple of years ago I thought Vingegaard was the better Grand Tour rider, but this year they were both fit and Pogacar destroyed him. It wasn’t a contest.” Van Garderen shared those thoughts on the Beyond the Podium podcast, noting Pogacar made the difference early. After a rare, conservative third week, Pogacar won in Paris by 4 minutes and 24 seconds on Vingegaard.

With the 2026 Tour route already giving us hints, including early hard stages, Van Garderen still doesn’t think it matters. “Even with more chances for sprinters and attackers, I don’t see how anyone can threaten Pogacar. He’s better on every terrain.”

Fellow American ex-pro Bob Roll is just as emphatic. “No one beats Tadej Pogacar in 2026. Period." Tough route or not, if it's Pogi, it doesn't matter according to the ex-pro. "The route can complicate the journey, but the destination stays the same.”

Roll even suggests the world champion has moved beyond simply winning the Tour. “He’s not riding to win the Tour anymore. He’s chasing ghosts. He wants to break records, pass Cavendish, win everything there is to win.”

Van Garderen expects more of the same next summer. “He’ll grab every chance to stamp his authority. Whether it’s in the Pyrenees or on Alpe d’Huez, he doesn’t wait. He creates the moments.”