Teams & Riders Pogačar as GOAT: already, never, or when?

[rallybanana]

I went to see 1972 RVV results (when Merckx did his best season) and 9 out of 10 are Belgians... Merckx was 7

If Merckx had his best season when he was 7 then he is definitely the GOAT

 

[James M]

Its really funny some of you guys how scrambling over this The man himself says its obvious even now so does every other legend of the sport you follow already, it doesnt take rocket science to figure it out anymore.

‘It’s obvious that he is now above me’ – Eddy Merckx hails Tadej Pogačar after Worlds exhibition''​

 

[scribers]

It’s kinda hard to argue against eddy. It doesn’t stop anonymous forum participants from doing just that

 

[ppanther92]

If Pogi can lay MSR to bed, I am thinking he stops racing it. Too early and too much to chance to prepare for. Starting a little later in the season would make for a much stronger heart of the season.

Also in the Attia interview he half-jokingly said - winning this race is going to kill him. So its indeed no easy feature nowadays. Sprinters usually are too good to be ridden off on Poggio.

 

[Escarabajo]

Also in the Attia interview he half-jokingly said - winning this race is going to kill him. So its indeed no easy feature nowadays. Sprinters usually are too good to be ridden off on Poggio.

He can talk to organizers...

 

[Gargamel35]

He's already the GOAT. Except for the Belgiums. For them, no one can be ever good enough. Except Remco. He was the GOAT for them since 2018. So..it's complicated.

 

[Peyroteo94]

Also in the Attia interview he half-jokingly said - winning this race is going to kill him. So its indeed no easy feature nowadays. Sprinters usually are too good to be ridden off on Poggio.

Tell me a sprinter that wasn't dropped by Pogacar in Poggio.

 

[ppanther92]

He can talk to organizers...

Haha, yes, indeed. Had the same thought tbh.

 

[ppanther92]

Tell me a sprinter that wasn't dropped by Pogacar in Poggio.

MvdP - and thats enough for the likes of Philipsen, Matthews, WvA, Pedersen coming back. I do think he can distance them (should been more clear) but last 3 years showed its hard to stay away.

 

[AmRacer]

MvdP - and thats enough for the likes of Philipsen, Matthews, WvA, Pedersen coming back. I do think doubt he can distance them (should be more clear) but last 3 year epsiodes showed its hard to stay away.

MvdP said, you don't win on my watch and reeled him in.

 

[Berniece]

He's already the GOAT. Except for the Belgiums. For them, no one can be ever good enough. Except Remco. He was the GOAT for them since 2018. So..it's complicated.

No one in Belgium ever called Evenepoel the GOAT

 

[mlescanojr]

He's already the GOAT. Except for the Belgiums. For them, no one can be ever good enough. Except Remco. He was the GOAT for them since 2018. So..it's complicated.

Remco is not in the same league as Pogacar.

 

[Salvarani]

He's already the GOAT. Except for the Belgiums. For them, no one can be ever good enough. Except Remco. He was the GOAT for them since 2018. So..it's complicated.

They literally called him the new Merckx.

Boy were they wrong.

But now Eddy calls Pog the GOAT. Maybe they should listen to him.

 

[Gargamel35]

No one in Belgium ever called Evenepoel the GOAT

Sure.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1840686846596009996

View: https://x.com/lucasaganronald/status/1840686846596009996
Already.

Wow, Eddy went further in his comments than ever before. Teddy is a decent cyclist, no doubts!

 

[Valv.Piti]

Of course he's not the GOAT yet. Thats very premature, he's only 26 years old and have lots of great years left. But he has the potential to rival Merckx

 

[Panda Claws]

I think Pogacar ultimately now needs to prove that he can keep a similar level for a few seasons more.

 

[Peyroteo94]

No one in Belgium ever called Evenepoel the GOAT

Of course, they call him the next Merckx

 

[Berniece]

Of course, they call him the next Merckx

That’s not the same at all, and that’s just classic Belgian hyperbole when someone can ride a bike

 

[Peyroteo94]

That’s not the same at all, and that’s just classic Belgian hyperbole when someone can ride a bike

He is the best junior rider ever. It is normal to compare him to Merckx, specially because he is belgian. But you have to admit Belgium really call him the next Merckx and that means they thought he really would be able to challenge Merckx's status as GOAT of cycling.
Pogacar is what I expect Remco to be 5/6 years ago.

 

[Berniece]

He is the best junior rider ever. It is normal to compare him to Merckx, specially because he is belgian. But you have to admit Belgium really call him the next Merckx and that means they thought he really would be able to challenge Merckx's status as GOAT of cycling.
Pogacar is what I expect Remco to be 5/6 years ago.

That means he has the potential, not that he already is.

 

[Panda Claws]

I don't really recall anyone in Belgium seriously calling Evenepoel the next Merckx at all. In some sense, there's more awareness here of the pitfalls and ridiculousness of calling every new prospect the new Merckx.

Tongue-in-cheek is always hard to interpret.

 

[The fridge in the blue trees]

Ah yes, the tongue-in-cheek excuse. Coupled with predictions of Velo d'ors because of the double double and Lombardia and what not...no, the posts on this forum in the Remco thread have been clear for ages, he was expected to be the new Eddy Merckx. And still is expected to be the best rider. Unbeatable in false flats (that's where he attacked in Zürich btw) getting back everybody as soon as it's flat, whatever. If you expected Remco to win the Giro 2020 (and lots here did) and the Giro 21 in his first race back (and again, lots did) and all the other stuff he was supposed to win plus the impressive stuff he has actually won... then saying no no, it's tongue in cheek is just ridiculous.

As for the GOAT? We're witnessing history, why isn't that enough? Why do we have to delete history then? Eddy who rode against farmers and would be beaten today. Cycling was less global. Less specialized. Of course he would be beaten. But would Pogacar win in the 60es and 70es? Without all the data. Without radios. Without the team that works for him. There always were stronger and weaker teams, but was the talent so concentrated in so few teams back in Merckx era? (Don't know, but suppose not) Nobody knows what would happen if we transported him back there, nobody should really care.

Merckx is the GOAT, Pogacar is writing history and it's a real possibility that he will be regarded as the GOAT once his career is over. Something nobody thought possible for any rider even 5 years ago (ehm, ok, the Remco crowd...) Merckx says he's above him? Recency bias, senility setting in maybe. And doesn't mean he means it over the whole career, could as well just mean what he has been showing us since 2020 is a higher level than Merckx had. Now it's about longevity. And of course he doesn't have to match the palmares exactly, cycling indeed is different now, plus the value of races change. The Flèche in the 60es was more highly regarded than nowadays, worth more (and used to be more important than Liège-Bastogne-Liège as well, not sure when that changed exactly) On the other hand Merckx Amstel win is pretty much worthless. But he couldn't win Strade Bianche. Etc etc. To really be the GOAT he needs to win a bit more. (If he retires today, had enough of cycling, in 5 years Merckx won't call him the GOAT, but lament the lack of commitment Pogacar had. ) Another Tour, another Giro, a Vuelta could already be enough, if he goes on a classics spree.

But actually for the moment I don't really care if he's the GOAT or will one day be, I'm just happy to witness this live. And really just want to see Pogacar winning Roubaix, much more important than being or not being the GOAT. Go for Roubaix 25!

 

[VayaVayaVaya]

I think it’s pretty clear: Pogacar is as good or better than any cyclist in history, but he is not the GOAT yet.

As a thought experiment, imagine Pogacar gets injured and never raced again. Would he be considered the GOAT with 3 Tours, a Giro, a WC gold, and some monuments in 10 years when the memory starts to fade? In 20? 30? I don’t think so. He would be considered the brilliant wunderkind who would have been the GOAT if not for the disaster.

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

By pure top performance I think he is, but GOATedness is inherently also a palmares game. He needs another 2 tours, another giro and ideally a Vuelta or 2 on top of some more classics. He can perhaps trade a couple of GCs for a PR and MSR though.

If he is this exeptional for the next 3-5 years and can retire with:
5 tours
2 giros
1/2 vueltas
2 WCs
3 + LBLs
2 RVV
1PR

and a bunch of random wins in the lesser monuments/1 week races he will be the GOAT by 2030.