Cycling superstar Tadej Pogacar has dominated the Tour de France in recent years. But victories in other cycling classics are even more important to him in 2026.
Tadej Pogacar has big goals for the coming cycling season. The Slovenian definitely wants to triumph for the first time in the classics Milan-Sanremo and Paris-Roubaix. According to his own statements, these successes are more important to him than another title at the Tour de France. He would even trade him for it, he confessed.
“If I could choose between a win in Roubaix and the Tour, I would take Roubaix because I have already won the Tour four times,” said Pogacar at a press conference in Benidorm, Spain: “The difference between 0 and 1 is bigger than between 4 and 5.”
The 26-year-old is only missing the two classics Paris-Roubaix and Milan-Sanremo from his collection of “cycling monuments”. He has already won all the others. The Tour de France four times.
He has also been at the top of the podium several times at the Tour of Flanders, Liège-Bastogne-Liège and the Tour of Lombardy.
Pogacar explains his planning for 2026
But even if he triumphs on the Tour in 2026, he would achieve something historic. With a fifth triumph he would equal the record victories of Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault, Miguel Indurain and Jacques Anquetil.
Pogacar gave an insight into his season planning: Pogacar will start the 2026 season on March 8th at the Strade Bianche in Italy.
“I will ride the Strade Bianche, Milan-Sanremo, the Tour of Flanders, Paris-Roubaix, Liège-Bastogne-Liège, the Tour de Romandie, the Tour de Suisse and the Tour de France,” he explained his elaborate plan.
“And then we’ll see what happens, that’s quite a lot.” He should be working towards a third consecutive world title in Montreal in September. He had already shaken off his opponent Remco Evenepoel in the road race in 2025.