Tadej Pogačar, the two-time world champion, is on the cusp of achieving a historic feat in the Tour de France. With a remarkable 13 victories in just 16 race days this season, Pogačar is poised to join an elite group of riders who have won the Tour de France five times. The only riders to have achieved this are Belgian Eddy Merckx, Spaniard Miguel Indurain, and Frenchmen Jacques Anquetil and Bernard Hinault. However, Pogačar's success is not just about the numbers; it's about the dominance he has displayed across all terrains, leaving his rivals in the dust. This season, he has already won the general classifications at the Tour de Suisse and the Tour de Romandie, as well as one-day triumphs at Liege-Bastogne-Liege, the Tour of Flanders, Milan San Remo, and Strade Bianche. His only setback came at Paris-Roubaix, where Belgian rider Wout van Aert prevented him from completing the set of cycling's five Monuments. But Pogačar's latest outing at the Tour de Suisse was a masterclass in dominance, leaving only crumbs for his rivals. He finished 6 minutes, 32 seconds ahead of second-placed Ecuador rider Richard Carapaz. Pogačar's success is not just due to his own talent, but also to the support of his talented and experienced teammates, including Isaac del Toro, Felix Großschartner, Brandon McNulty, Nils Politt, Florian Vermeersch, Tim Wellens, and Adam Yates. Despite Pogačar's overwhelming strength, his rivals will line up with high morale, aware that fortunes can change in an instant. Jonas Vingegaard of Visma-Lease a Bike, Pogačar's main rival, is aiming to complete the men's Giro-Tour double, having won the Giro in May. Vingegaard's confidence is bolstered by a strong group of domestiques, including top American climbers Matteo Jorgenson and Sepp Kuss, as well as highly rated Tour debutants Per Strand Hagenes and Davide Piganzoli. Among others hoping to dethrone Pogačar, Remco Evenepoel and Florian Lipowitz will share the leadership at Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe. France will have its eyes fixed on a rider making his Tour debut with the ambition of winning it one day: Paul Seixas, at 19, will become one of the youngest riders ever to take part in cycling's showpiece race. Seixas, widely regarded as France's best hope of a first champion since Hinault in 1985, has been downplaying his hopes, but he is determined to give everything to achieve the best possible overall result. The 113th Tour will feature a team time trial, followed by the Pyrenees mountains on the third day, covering more than 3,300 kilometers. The race will visit France's five mountain ranges and feature eight mountain stages, including five summit finishes. Stages 19 and 20 culminate at the famed Alpe d'Huez, just 24 hours before the final stage ending on the Champs-Élysées in Paris. The only individual time trial takes place against the backdrop of Lake Geneva on Stage 16, and Montmartre will welcome the peloton during the grand finale on July 26. Pogačar's pursuit of a fifth Tour victory is a testament to his insatiable thirst for winning, drawing comparisons with Merckx, widely regarded as the greatest of all time. Some observers believe Pogačar could eventually surpass Merckx's records from the 1960s and 70s. As the Tour de France unfolds, Pogačar's dominance and the challenges his rivals face will make for a thrilling spectacle, leaving fans eagerly awaiting the outcome.
