{"id":124299,"date":"2026-07-01T10:58:12","date_gmt":"2026-07-01T10:58:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/basketball.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/07\/01\/maybe-the-first-to-win-a-sixth-all-time-great-eddy-merckx-backs-tadej-pogacar-for-2026-tour-de-france-victory-and-possibly-more\/"},"modified":"2026-07-01T10:58:12","modified_gmt":"2026-07-01T10:58:12","slug":"maybe-the-first-to-win-a-sixth-all-time-great-eddy-merckx-backs-tadej-pogacar-for-2026-tour-de-france-victory-and-possibly-more","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/basketball.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/07\/01\/maybe-the-first-to-win-a-sixth-all-time-great-eddy-merckx-backs-tadej-pogacar-for-2026-tour-de-france-victory-and-possibly-more\/","title":{"rendered":"&#8216;Maybe the first to win a sixth&#8217; \u2013 All-time great Eddy Merckx backs Tadej Poga\u010dar for 2026 Tour de France victory, and possibly more"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><\/p>\n<div id=\"article-body\">\n<p id=\"elk-642c25f9-b1c5-4091-bebc-0a2ffe161498\">All-time great <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/features\/eddy-merckx-why-the-cannibal-is-the-greatest-cyclist-of-all-time\/\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/features\/eddy-merckx-why-the-cannibal-is-the-greatest-cyclist-of-all-time\/\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/features\/eddy-merckx-why-the-cannibal-is-the-greatest-cyclist-of-all-time\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Eddy Merckx <\/a>has recognised that top <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/tour-de-france\/\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/tour-de-france\/\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/tour-de-france\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Tour de France<\/a> contender <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/riders\/tadej-pogacar\/\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/riders\/tadej-pogacar\/\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/riders\/tadej-pogacar\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Tadej Poga\u010dar <\/a>could soon be joining him, Miguel Indurain, Bernard Hinault and Jacques Anquetil as five-time winners of cycling&#8217;s biggest bike race.<\/p>\n<p>Merckx, 81, won the Tour himself five times from five participations between 1969 and 1974, with 1973, the year he did not take part, the only time he missed out on victory.<\/p>\n<p><a id=\"elk-seasonal\"\/><\/p>\n<aside data-block-type=\"embed\" data-render-type=\"fte\" data-skip=\"dealsy\" data-widget-type=\"seasonal\" class=\"hawk-root\"\/>\n<p id=\"elk-642c25f9-b1c5-4091-bebc-0a2ffe161498-2\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Like Merckx, Poga\u010dar won the Tour on his first-ever participation back in 2020 before triumphing again in 2021, 2024 and 2025.<\/p>\n<p id=\"elk-7a90906e-81dc-4089-9eff-1c27b2b66134\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Only <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/riders\/jonas-vingegaard\/\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/riders\/jonas-vingegaard\/\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/riders\/jonas-vingegaard\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Jonas Vingegaard<\/a> (Visma-Lease a Bike) has proved capable of defeating the 27-year-old Slovenian in that period, in 2022 and 2023, and the Dane is hoping to do so again this July.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">A keen follower of cycling to this day, the rider they nicknamed &#8216;The Cannibal&#8217; has often praised Poga\u010dar and he told <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.belga.be\/home\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.belga.be\/home\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\"><em>Belga<\/em><\/a> this week that while he expects the UAE Team Emirates-XRG leader to make much of the running, he feels others will have their chance, too.<\/p>\n<aside data-component-name=\"Recirculation:ArticleRiver\" data-recirculation-type=\"inline\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"Trending Bar\" data-nosnippet=\"\" class=\"clear-both pt-2 pb-0 mb-4\">\n        <span class=\"&#10;            flex&#10;            after:content-[''] after:flex-1 after:ml-4 after:my-[0.7rem] after:border-t after:border-solid after:border-t-[#ccc]&#10;            before:content-[''] before:flex-1 before:mr-4 before:my-[0.7rem] before:border-t before:border-solid before:border-t-[#ccc]&#10;            font-article-heading pb-0 text-[length:var(--article-river-title--font-size,1em)] uppercase sm:text-[length:var(--article-river-title--font-size,0.875em)] font-bold&#10;        \"><br \/>\n            You may like<br \/>\n        <\/span><\/p>\n<\/aside>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">\u201cPoga\u010dar is obviously the big favourite, but we still hope it will be an exciting battle. Vingegaard, [Remco] Evenepoel, and <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/riders\/paul-seixas\/\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/riders\/paul-seixas\/\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/riders\/paul-seixas\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">[Paul] Seixas<\/a> are the challengers, although perhaps we shouldn&#8217;t expect too much from the latter in his first participation at the age of 19,\u201d Merckx said.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">\u201cBesides Vingegaard, we saw that Seixas was capable of competing in Li\u00e8ge-Bastogne-Li\u00e8ge. Remco, on the other hand, has trained a lot at altitude.\u201d<\/p>\n<div id=\"slice-container-newsletterForm-articleInbodyContent-phyBHHD3nQuHbKk5eBHP9B\" class=\"slice-container newsletter-inbodyContent-slice newsletterForm-articleInbodyContent-phyBHHD3nQuHbKk5eBHP9B slice-container-newsletterForm\">\n<div data-hydrate=\"true\" class=\"newsletter-form__wrapper newsletter-form__wrapper--inbodyContent\">\n<div class=\"newsletter-form__container\">\n<section class=\"newsletter-form__top-bar\"\/>\n<section class=\"newsletter-form__main-section\">\n<p class=\"newsletter-form__strapline\">The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Whilst Seixas (Decathlon CGA CGM), at 19, is currently the breakthrough name for French cycling, Merckx is also hopeful that a series of new young Belgian names will also make their mark alongside the well-established top stars such as Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Premier Tech), Evenepoel (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) and Tim Merlier (Soudal-QuickStep). <\/p>\n<p>As the outstanding favourite, it looks more than likely that Poga\u010dar could secure a place amongst the joint record-holders of five titles. But Merckx predicts that at 27, Poga\u010dar could be set to move into unknown territory and take a sixth.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">\u201cGiven his qualities, that would be expected, and he is certainly welcome in our club,\u201d Merckx said. \u201cPerhaps he will be the first to add a sixth to his name.\u201d<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Merckx himself will not be at the Tour in 2026, as he is recovering from his latest hip operation. Merckx told <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.belga.be\/home\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.belga.be\/home\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\"><em>Belga<\/em><\/a> he is making good progress, but he needed more time before he travelled to the race again. In the meantime, he&#8217;ll be watching the Tour on television.<\/p>\n<p id=\"elk-754c71a9-1a25-4fcd-a2a0-5e94635a165b\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\"><em><strong>The world\u2019s biggest bike race deserves world-class coverage. Subscribe to Cyclingnews for unlimited access to our unrivalled reporting of the 2026 Tour de France. From Barcelona through to Paris, our experienced team will bring you breaking news, expert insight, and in-depth coverage from every stage as the battle for the yellow jersey plays out. Plus, access the Cyclingnews app to follow the action on the go!<\/strong><\/em><a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/subscription-paid\/?utm_source=Referral+link&amp;utm_medium=Website&amp;utm_campaign=PreTDF26\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/subscription-paid\/?utm_source=Referral+link&amp;utm_medium=Website&amp;utm_campaign=PreTDF26\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/subscription-paid\/?utm_source=Referral+link&amp;utm_medium=Website&amp;utm_campaign=PreTDF26\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><em><strong> <\/strong><\/em><\/a><a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/subscription-paid\/?utm_source=Referral+link&amp;utm_medium=Website&amp;utm_campaign=PreTDF26\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/subscription-paid\/?utm_source=Referral+link&amp;utm_medium=Website&amp;utm_campaign=PreTDF26\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/subscription-paid\/?utm_source=Referral+link&amp;utm_medium=Website&amp;utm_campaign=PreTDF26\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><em><strong>Find out more<\/strong><\/em><\/a><em><strong>.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/pro-cycling\/racing\/maybe-the-first-to-win-a-sixth-all-time-great-eddy-merckx-backs-tadej-pogacar-for-2026-tour-de-france-victory-and-possibly-more\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>All-time great Eddy Merckx has recognised that top Tour de France contender Tadej Poga\u010dar could soon be joining him, Miguel Indurain, Bernard Hinault and Jacques Anquetil as five-time winners of cycling&#8217;s biggest bike race. Merckx, 81, won the Tour himself five times from five participations between 1969 and 1974, with 1973, the year he did [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":124300,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[4],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/basketball.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/124299"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/basketball.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/basketball.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/basketball.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/basketball.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=124299"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/basketball.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/124299\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/basketball.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/124300"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/basketball.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=124299"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/basketball.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=124299"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/basketball.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=124299"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}