The cycling world is in awe, but also in despair. Tadej Pogacar's reign sparks both admiration and controversy.
Accordingstronhttps://cyclinguptodate.com/tadej-pogacar), the Slovenian cyclist has left his competitors in the dust, with a historic 2025 season that has some analysts questioning the future of the sport. Guy Van den Langenbergh and Jan-Pieter De Vlieger from Het Nieuwsblad believe Pogacar's dominance is stifling the competition at the pinnacle of men's professional cycling.
On the Café Koers podcast (https://open.spotify.com/show/7EnDVN1Ad7PUwNPkjlMG5Q), Van den Langenbergh paints a picture of a peloton losing hope. He claims that before the final Monument of the year, Il Lombardia (https://cyclinguptodate.com/il-lombardia), Pogacar's rivals had already mentally waved the white flag. But here's where it gets controversial: is this resignation a sign of respect or a lack of fighting spirit?
Pogacar's 2025 season was nothing short of extraordinary. As the leader of UAE Team Emirates – XRG, he not only conquered three Monuments (Flanders, Liege–Bastogne–Liege, and Il Lombardia) but also secured his fourth Tour de France title (https://cyclinguptodate.com/tour-de-france). His consistency, tactical prowess, and explosive power have left even the most formidable teams helpless. And this is the part most people miss: his attacks, once considered daring and unpredictable, now seem almost scripted.
Van den Langenbergh emphasizes that this sense of inevitability isn't limited to smaller teams. Even Team Visma | Lease a Bike (https://cyclinguptodate.com/team-visma-lease-a-bike), who began the season with lofty ambitions of global dominance, have been left scratching their heads. They, too, seem to have accepted their fate, unable to devise a strategy to challenge Pogacar's supremacy.
For Team Visma, 2025 has been a wake-up call. Despite Jonas Vingegaard's (https://cyclinguptodate.com/jonas-vingegaard) victory at the Vuelta a Espana, the team has slipped in the world rankings, trailing far behind Pogacar's UAE Team Emirates - XRG (https://cyclinguptodate.com/uae-team-emirates-xrg). The latter has set new benchmarks for teamwork and strategic planning, leaving their rivals in the dust.
The cycling community is left with a dilemma: Pogacar's reign is awe-inspiring, but is it healthy for the sport? The question arises: is his dominance eroding the very essence of competitive racing? As Pogachar continues to dominate across all terrains and formats, from spring classics to grand tours, the peloton is left wondering if they can ever regain the upper hand.
Is Tadej Pogacar's dominance a force to be celebrated or a challenge to be overcome? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
