Former Tour de France winner Pedro Delgado has pulled no punches in a current evaluation of Tadej Pogačar’s future, saying categorically that “The reign of Pogačar shall be a dictatorship,” and that “As compared, Remco Evenepoel, for all he’s actually good, looks as if he’s nonetheless studying.”
A longstanding biking commentator with Spanish state tv TVE on numerous Grand Excursions and different races, Delgado’s profession resulted in 1994 with two Vueltas a España (1985, 1989) and the Tour de France (1988) as his crowning achievements.
Throughout a current interview at a media occasion organised by the Sports activities Press Affiliation of town of Valladolid (APDV), Delgado insisted that Pogačar will dominate biking for the following 5 years. “He has no rival,” he added.
“Within the Pogačar dictatorship, it’s unimaginable [for rivals] to shine,” he stated, in response to an area newspaper El Diario de Valladolid.
“His bodily qualities are off the charts, and on high of that, he likes to placed on a present and win in type as a result of he by no means simply settles for something much less.”
In 2024, Pogačar had his greatest yr up to now, profitable the Giro d’Italia, Tour de France and World Championships, in addition to two Monuments, Il Lombardia and Liège-Bastogne-Liège. With 25 victories this season, the 26-year-old was solely defeated on two events, at Milan-San Remo and within the GP Québec.
Delgado even went as far as to say it could be onerous for any up-and-coming Spanish rider to have a significant impression given the dimensions of Pogačar’s dominion. He added that Delgado himself, had been he now racing, would have been a “very regular professional.”
“When it comes to diet, it’s all very rigorous and I wouldn’t have coped. Biking could be very disciplined now and actually you want a bit of little bit of craziness within the combine for a rider just like the [Spanish] greats of yesteryear to look: [1973 Tour de France winner] Luis Ocaña, Jose Manuel Fuentes….
“Juan Ayuso (UAE Group Emirates) and Carlos Rodríguez (Ineos Grenadiers) are cyclists who’re progressing. However they’re not at Pogačar’s stage. Evenepoel (Soudal-QuickStep) is admittedly good, however he looks as if he’s nonetheless studying the ropes.
“Pogačar is an actual prodigy. I don’t know the way lengthy his period will final, not due to his bodily qualities, however as a result of he’s made profitable a behavior.
“Issues may collapse, however I feel he’ll dominate the game for the following 5 years.”
Delgado could properly have the chance to share his opinions with Pogačar on residence soil subsequent yr. The Slovenian confirmed just lately {that a} return to the Vuelta a España, the place he completed third in 2019, is a attainable choice for his program in 2025.
