The greatest of all time: Tadej Pogačar vs. Eddy Merckx
TOUR
· 18.10.2025
Eddy Merckx and Tadej Pogačar: a comparison of two cycling legends
When cycling fans discuss the greatest riders of all time, one name inevitably comes up: Eddy Merckx. But not only with Tadej Pogačars his most recent triumph, victory in the Tour of Lombardy 2025, the question of whether the Slovenian will soon catch up with the Belgian - or perhaps even overtake him in certain respects - is becoming ever closer. The Belgian Merckx, born in 1945, dominated cycling so completely in the 1960s and 1970s that he was nicknamed "The Cannibal" - a term coined by his team-mate Christian Raymond after his twelve-year-old daughter is said to have commented on Merckx's insatiable hunger for victory. With a total of 525 victories on the road, 98 on the track and two in cyclo-cross races, Merckx is considered the most successful cyclist in history. Pogačar, on the other hand, born in 1998, has already won four Tour de France victories, one Giro triumph and ten cycling monuments at the age of just 27. Both athletes impress with their versatility: they shine in one-day races and Grand Tours, in the mountains and in time trials. But while Merckx's career has already been consigned to the history books, Pogačar is still writing his story - with impressive speed and the chance to break some of Merckx's seemingly unattainable records.
If you look at his successes in the three-week national tours, Merckx's extraordinary record becomes clear: he won the Tour de France five times (1969-1972, 1974) and the Giro d'Italia just as often (1968, 1970, 1972-1974). He also won the Vuelta a España (1973). With a total of eleven overall Grand Tour victories, he is the sole record holder. With four Tour de France victories (2020, 2021, 2024, 2025) and one Giro triumph (2024), Pogačar already has five Grand Tour successes to his name - and in a much shorter time. It is also worth noting that in 2024, Pogačar became only the eighth rider in history to achieve the so-called "Grand Tour double" by winning the Giro and Tour in the same year. This feat had previously only been achieved by exceptional riders such as Fausto Coppi, Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault, Stephen Roche, Miguel Indurain and Marco Pantani. While Merckx often triumphed by a large margin in his Tour victories (17:54 minutes in 1969, for example), Pogačar won by 6:17 minutes in 2024 - in an era in which the power density in the peloton was significantly higher than in Merckx's time.
The monuments of cycling
Merckx's extraordinary versatility is evident in the five Monuments of cycling - the most prestigious one-day races: he won Milan-San Remo seven times, Liège-Bastogne-Liège five times, Paris-Roubaix three times and the Tour of Flanders and Tour of Lombardy twice each. With a total of 19 Monument victories, he is unrivalled. Pogačar, on the other hand, has already won ten Monuments at the age of 27: The Tour of Lombardy five times in a row (2021-2025), Liège-Bastogne-Liège three times (2021, 2024, 2025) and the Tour of Flanders twice (2023, 2025). He finished second in Paris-Roubaix on his debut in 2025 and came third three times in Milan-San Remo. Remarkably, Pogačar has already finished on the podium in all five monuments - a feat that even Merckx only achieved later in his career. Even more impressive: Pogačar managed to finish on the podium in all five Monuments of the 2025 season. No one had ever managed that before. His victory rate in monuments is also outstanding: he achieved ten victories in 20 participations, while Merckx needed significantly more attempts for his 19 victories. However, Merckx started at a time when the best riders competed in almost all the important races, whereas today a greater degree of specialisation is the norm.
Merckx
World championships and eventing
Another field in which both exceptional riders shone is the world championships. Merckx became world road race champion three times (1967, 1971, 1974) - a record he shares with Alfredo Binda, Rik Van Steenbergen, Óscar Freire and Peter Sagan. Pogačar secured the 2024 World Championship title with an impressive 51.7-kilometre solo ride and successfully defended it in 2025. With his World Championship triumph in 2024, he also completed the so-called "Triple Crown" of Giro d'Italia, Tour de France and World Championship in the same year - a feat that only Merckx (1974) and Stephen Roche (1987) had previously achieved. While Merckx was also successful on the track and set the world hour record in 1972 (49.431 kilometres), Pogačar has so far concentrated exclusively on road cycling. However, the versatility of both riders is demonstrated by their ability to dominate both one-day races and Grand Tours - a quality that is becoming increasingly rare in modern cycling as specialisation increases. Pogačar proved his all-round abilities impressively when he became the first rider since Merckx to win the Tour de France in the rainbow jersey of the world champion in 2025.
Different eras, different requirements
In all comparisons between Merckx and Pogačar, the temporal context must be taken into account. Cycling has changed fundamentally since Merckx's active days. The racing programme was much more extensive in the 1960s and 1970s, with more race days per season. Merckx often competed in over 120 race days per year and took part in almost all the important races. Modern professionals such as Pogačar ride more selectively, with around 80-90 race days that are specifically geared towards season highlights. Professionalisation has also changed: While Merckx had to make do with comparatively simple equipment and without scientifically optimised nutrition, altitude training and performance diagnostics, Pogačar has a complete team of coaches, nutritionists and equipment specialists at his disposal. His annual salary is estimated at 8.2 million euros estimated - a sum that would have been unthinkable in Merckx's day. Today, the power density in the peloton is higher, the specialisation more pronounced. While Merckx competed against other all-rounders such as Raymond Poulidor, Luis Ocaña and Joop Zoetemelk, Pogačar is up against exceptional riders and specialists such as Jonas Vingegaard, Remco Evenepoel and Primož Roglič - in an era in which marginal advantages are often decisive.
The figures for Eddy Merckx and Tadej Pogačar in comparison
From a purely statistical point of view, Merckx's 525 victories on the road put him far ahead of Pogačar, who has recorded around 100 professional victories to date. However, Pogačar has achieved his 100 victories in a much shorter time and could well come close to Merckx if his win rate remains the same and his career is as long as his. Merckx leads with 19:10 in Monument victories and 11:5 in overall Grand Tour victories, but Pogačar's efficiency is impressive: in his five Grand Tour participations with overall victory to date, he has won a total of 30 stages - a ratio that even comes close to Merckx's record (34 Tour stage victories with five overall victories). In addition, Pogačar has already won ten Monuments, while Merckx needed more seasons for his first ten Monument victories. Another notable aspect: Pogačar was the first rider since Merckx to win both the Tour of Flanders and the Tour de France - a testament to his exceptional versatility. Both riders dominated their respective eras: Merckx won the Super Prestige Pernod season classification seven times in a row (1969-1975), while Pogačar has been number one in the current UCI world rankings for years.
The legacy and the future
Eddy Merckx has left a lasting mark on cycling and is considered by many experts to be the greatest cyclist of all time. His dominance in an era without specialised teams and scientific training methods makes his achievements particularly remarkable. Lance Armstrong, Bernard Hinault, Miguel Indurain and the Cycling Hall of Fame call him the greatest cyclist in history. Pogačar, on the other hand, is still writing his own story - at just 27 years old, he has already achieved extraordinary things, and some of Merckx's records could be within his reach. His aggressive riding style, his aggression and his ability to dominate on a wide variety of terrains remind many observers of Merckx. It is also worth noting that, like Merckx, Pogačar not only wins, but often triumphs with impressive solo rides - be it at the Tour of Flanders 2023, Liège-Bastogne-Liège 2024 and 2025 or the World Championships 2024 and 2025. This way of winning is in line with Merckx's philosophy, who once said: "When I attack, it's a knife. When I follow, it's cotton." Both riders are united by an irrepressible will to win and the ability to shape races to their liking - a quality that sets them apart from their contemporaries.
Conclusion on the Eddy Merckx vs Tadej Pogačar comparison: two giants from different eras
The question of who is the greater champion - Merckx or Pogačar - cannot be answered unequivocally, at least as things stand today. Merckx's sheer number of victories and his dominance over the course of a decade are historically unrivalled. Pogačar, on the other hand, impresses with his efficiency and the speed with which he collects victories. He was also the third rider in history to win the "Triple Crown" of Giro, Tour and World Championship title in the same year. While Merckx rode in an era in which the best riders competed in almost every race, Pogačar has to compete against highly specialised rivals in a scientifically optimised environment. Ultimately, both athletes are children of their time who have shaped and continue to shape the cycling of their era. Merckx's legacy is secure, while Pogačar's history is still being written - with a realistic chance of breaking some of the 'Cannibal's' seemingly unattainable records and establishing himself as one of the greatest cyclists of all time.
Book tip: Merckx | Delius Klasing Publishers
