Pogacar stands alone: Who can stop cycling's dominant force?

Paris: Tadej Pogacar's dominance of professional cycling has reached a level where few riders appear capable of mounting a serious challenge to the Slovenian star. The 27-year-old secured a record-equalling fifth Tour de France title on Sunday, joining cycling legends Eddy Merckx, Miguel Indurain, Jacques Anquetil and Bernard Hinault as the only riders to win the race five times. Pogacar finished this year's Tour 6 minutes and 26 seconds ahead of Belgian rider Remco Evenepoel, underlining the scale of his superiority over the rest of the field. Rivalries fading For several years, Jonas Vingegaard was regarded as Pogacar's greatest rival. The Danish rider won the Tour de France in 2022 and 2023, defeating Pogacar by more than seven minutes in his second victory. At the time, the pair appeared set for a long rivalry at the top of the sport. However, the balance has shifted dramatically. Pogacar has now won three consecutive Tours, while Vingegaard's hopes this year ended when he crashed out during Stage 15. Although the Dane won the Vuelta a España last year and the Giro d'Italia earlier this season, he struggled to challenge Pogacar before his withdrawal. A season of dominance Pogacar claimed five stages during this year's Tour, taking his career tally to 26 stage victories. His performances in 2026 have further reinforced his position as the sport's leading rider. Alongside the Tour de France, he won both the Tour de Suisse and the Tour de Romandie, while also claiming major one-day classics victories. The Slovenian previously won the Giro d'Italia by a commanding margin in 2024 and continues to add to an increasingly remarkable résumé. Who can challenge him? The list of realistic contenders remains limited. Evenepoel appears to be the most credible long-term threat. The two-time Olympic champion is one of the few riders capable of matching or beating Pogacar in time trials and still has room to develop in the mountains. The 26-year-old finished second overall this year and benefited from strong support from his Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe team, which could build an even stronger Grand Tour squad around him. French cycling's hopes rest with a younger generation. Nineteen-year-old Paul Seixas finished fourth in his Tour debut, while fellow Frenchman Lenny Martinez placed fifth overall. Both are viewed as future contenders, although neither currently appears ready to challenge Pogacar over a three-week race. Ecuador's Richard Carapaz won two mountain stages but finished around 20 minutes behind Pogacar in the general classification, highlighting the gap between the Slovenian and the rest of the field. Meanwhile, Isaac Del Toro, the 22-year-old Mexican rider who finished third overall, remains one of Pogacar's key teammates at UAE Team Emirates rather than a direct rival. More records within reach Pogacar's fifth Tour title leaves him just one victory away from becoming the most successful Tour de France rider in history. He also has 26 stage wins and is now 10 victories short of Mark Cavendish's all-time Tour record of 35 stage wins. One notable achievement still missing from his collection is the Vuelta a España title. Unlike Merckx, Hinault, Anquetil and Vingegaard, Pogacar has yet to complete the full set of Grand Tour victories. When asked whether he would compete in this year's Vuelta, Pogacar smiled and replied: "Let's see." Anti-doping scrutiny remains in focus This year's Tour also generated attention away from the race after Pogacar and Vingegaard were subjected to surprise anti-doping controls during the early hours of the morning. Pogacar was tested at 5am, while Vingegaard underwent testing at 2am. The timing drew criticism from some riders, including Evenepoel, who described it as "very disrespectful" during an already demanding race. However, Pogacar later acknowledged that random-hour testing helps improve transparency and trust in the sport. The issue remains sensitive in cycling following Lance Armstrong's downfall and the long-running doping scandals that damaged the sport's reputation. A rider in a class of his own For now, the biggest challenge facing the peloton may simply be finding someone capable of matching Pogacar. At 27, he is already among cycling's greatest champions. If his current level continues, the question may no longer be whether he can join the sport's legends — but how far beyond them he can go.