Merckx and Roche welcome Pogacar to elite group: “Everyone said it was no longer possible”

With his victory at the World Cup, Pogacar achieved the so-called ‘Triple Crown’: winning the Giro, Tour and the World Cup in one season. Only two riders did this before him: Stephen Roche (1987) and Eddy Merckx (1974). Both have now responded to Pogacar’s historic achievement.

“What he has done is truly unbelievable. I have no words for it,” Merckx said in conversation with The Parisian. The Belgian cycling great could not believe his eyes when Pogacar attacked with one hundred kilometers to go. “You have to be crazy for that,” he said, laughing. “When he attacked, I started to fear for him. I assured him that Tadej had left much too early. Normally it is impossible to win after such a long attack, but Tadej did it.”

“He is the strongest rider of his generation. There is no longer any doubt about that,” said 79-year-old Merckx. “You know, at my age it takes a lot to knock me off my feet. Well, Tadej succeeded. I suspected he could become world champion, but never like this. He really is the very best – my congratulations.”

Stephen Roche in de sandwich
In conversation with the NOS, Roche also welcomes the new member Pogacar to the ‘Triple Crown’ group. “It now feels like I’m in the sandwich between Merckx and Pogacar, that’s not bad,” the Irishman smiled.

“It’s very beautiful. It also makes it all a little more human. It’s been 37 years since I did it and I was thirteen years after Merckx. Everyone said it wasn’t possible anymore, that this was a different generation, but I believe records are there to be broken. For me it is very nice that a third person has realized the triple. I think it’s great that I’m there to give him the keys to the house,” laughed Roche. “And what a ride! You cannot describe his superhuman performance.”

How difficult is it to win the Giro, Tour and World Cup in one season? “It took 37 years, but I think that in the meantime other riders were also able to do it. Froome, Thomas, Armstrong… They could all have done it. Only if you win the Giro and Tour do you often become a certain type of rider. And if you get a flat course at the World Cup, you often have a handicap, because as a Grand Tour winner you are often not a top sprinter. But this year it was different. You cannot have such a course every year at the World Cup, because you favor a certain type of rider. This was Pogacar’s year to do it.”