Paris [France], July 27: Tadej Pogacar will gain sole possession of the Tour de France title record and could also become the first rider to win all three grand tours in one year, Belgian legend Eddy Merckx believes.
"I don't think he will be content with drawing level with me and the other champions. He will soon break our Tour victories record," Merckx told Italy's La Gazzetta dello Sport.
Pogacar leads the Tour into Sunday's finale in Paris and is set to join Merckx, Frenchmen Jacques Anquetil and Bernard Hinault as well as Spain's Migual Indurain on a record five Tour titles.
Merckx, 81, said he is impressed by the consistency of Pogacar and the Slovenian's dominance in the mountains.
"Of course it was clear from the start of his professional career that he has a special talent. But, to be honest, I didn't expect that he would impress in such fashion on the climbs. It seems that he is breaking records in every stage in the mountains," Merckx said.
Merckx, who has win 525 races, did not want to be drawn into comparisons because "every era has its champions." But he said that Pogacar could become the first rider to win the Tour, the Giro d'Italia and the Vuelta a España in one year.
"If someone can do it then it is him. I believe he can do it if the conditions are right," Merckx said.
He said Pogacar would need a team with a lot of depth, "a team that is able to control races in an effective way in order not to waste energy during stages."
Merckx is among eight riders who have won all grand tours in their career. Pogacar has won the Giro and the Tour and there is speculation he will compete at the Vuelta which starts next month in order to complete the career collection.
Looking at his compatriot Remco Evenepoel, who is set to finish second at the Tour, Merckx named him "the best among the mortals.
Merckx said that Evenepoel is the world's best time trial rider "but I am not sure if he will ever be able to keep up with Pogacar at his very best on the climbs."
Source: Qatar Tribune
