Superstar Tadej Pogacar has unsurprisingly been named Cyclist of the Year.
The Slovenian Tour de France winner was awarded the Vélo d’Or trophy for the third time at a ceremony in Paris on Friday evening. In the women’s category, the Frenchwoman Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, winner of the Tour of France, was honored.
Pogacar was unable to accept his award in person. The 27-year-old canceled his participation in the French capital at short notice due to a viral illness. In addition to the Vélo d’Or, which is awarded based on the model of the Ballon d’Or in football, the exceptional rider also received the Eddy Merckx Prize for the best classic rider.
This year, as in the Tour, Pogacar also defended his title in the World Championship road race. He also achieved victories in the classics Strade Bianche, Tour of Flanders, Flèche Wallonne, Liège-Bastogne-Liège and the Tour of Lombardy. Ferrand-Prévot was the first French woman to win the Tour.