Watching Tadej Pogacar's Dominance in Critérium du Dauphiné and Tour de France: A Privilege, Not Monotonous Spectacle
Sunday evening arrives, and what am I engaged in? Witnessing pole vault. This event, typically underrated, becomes an exception due to Mondo Duplantis' participation. His presence makes it a unique chance to behold the best athlete ever in his field competing that day.
Yes, I'm aware he'll probably win again and break the world record. Want to know the latest? He did, for the 12th time — 6.28m, 38cm higher than second place.
Is the lack of competition boring to me? Absolutely not, for Duplantis' dominance has drawn me into watching an event as peculiar as pole vault. Granted, the incremental 1cm jumps might be financially-motivated for record-breaking stakes, but Duplantis' entertainment value keeps me hooked.
Now, comparing this niche track event to complex, drawn-out fights in professional road cycling might not be fair, but I experience similar feelings when watching Tadej Pogačar, who I believe shares the title of being the best ever. His marvelous win against several extraordinary athletes, like Laureus Sportsman of the Year 2024, earned him recognition over others, including Pogačar.
Were my thoughts on Pogačar's Tour de France victory as certain as Duplantis' at the pole vault? Not at all, especially after the stage 4 time trial, where he suffered significant losses to Remco Evenepoel and Jonas Vingegaard. However, things turned around during stage 6 when he dominated the route to Combloux and put a minute into main rival Vingegaard, ending the race anti-climactically with a seated surge.
I'm not bored, though, as many might argue after witnessing Pogačar's constant solitary finishes, despite the final mountain stages bringing a relatively unchallenging end to the Critérium du Dauphiné.
There's a perspective that the excellence and dominance are the essence of elite sport, as I learned when exploring trainer Willie Mullins' horse racing dominance discourse[4]. Talents like Pogačar make underdog victories more meaningful. His rarity of losses makes racing more predictable, but his exceptional status elevates it.
Catching Up with Cycling's Golden Era
I've only been a cycling journalist during the Pogačar era, and my two most memorable days, besides reporting events, have been stage 11 of the 2024 Tour de France and the Amstel Gold Race this season. Both saw Pogačar, seemingly invincible, launching powerful solo moves to win, only to be chased down and outsprinted by competitors like Vingegaard and Mattias Skjelmose[2].
These failures reminded me of a boxer losing their "0" in a shocking fashion. Think back to Mike Tyson falling to Buster Douglas in 1990 or Anthony Joshua tasting his first defeat at Andy Ruiz's hands in 2019, for a more recent example.
Pogačar's air of invincibility contributes to his legacy much like his humble personality. Such vulnerability makes surprising defeats all the more exciting when they happen.
Even after his dominance, there's a unique allure to cycling in this golden era brimming with elite athletes, led by Pogačar. The balance of powers in Classics remains thanks to the presence of Mathieu van der Poel[3]. However, without Vingegaard, the stakes feel less thrilling.
In 2022 and 2023, Pogačar suffered defeats at Vingegaard's hands in the Tour, demonstrating that a new balance has emerged. With improvements in areas like high altitude performance and overcoming past blunders, Pogačar stands atop the cycling world. The Dauphiné suggests it will stay that way.
Even his newer seated style attacks signal continuous evolution from Pogačar. So the question arises, how did Vingegaard ever best Pogačar, considering the current clear advantage?
The key moment in 2022 was Visma-Lease a Bike's team mastery on the road to the Col du Granon, with Vingegaard riding on in 2023 on the Hautacam to complete the job[4].
These confrontations, like the ongoing rivalry between Pogačar and Vingegaard, add storylines and drama to sports that sports needs, creating enduring narratives for fans.
The Future of Cycling
Vingegaard's pursuit of Pogačar will continue, with three weeks until the Tour de France's start, and much ground to cover. Complacent voices may say the event will be three weeks of non-competition, but it's Vingegaard and his team vs. Pogačar and his at stake. Let the games begin.
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References:
[1] - https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/02/sports/tadej-pogacar-tour-de-france.html[2] - https://www.inrng.com/tradewindcycling/blog/2025/05/pogacar-leaves-critérium-du-dauphiné-as-unstoppable-as-ever[3] - https://www. votesportmag.com/featured/the-van-der-poel-brothers-are-making-cycling-great-again/[4] - https://www.cyclingnews.com/features/ten-key-lessons-from-the-2024-critérium-du-dauphiné/[5] - https://fairingsmag.com/articles/cycling/team-issues/the-dauphine-reveals-pogacar-stronger-than-ever/
Sports and road cycling intertwine as I follow the 2025 Tour de France, captivated by the ‘golden era’ duel between Tadej Pogačar and Jonas Vingegaard. This sports rivalry, akin to witnessing the best pole vaulters, adds drama and enduring narratives that make the event exciting.
