THEMOVE Podcast Summary

Episode: Is Tadej Pogačar Officially Unbeatable? | World Championship Breakdown
Date: September 28, 2025
Host: Lance Armstrong (not present in this episode)
Panelists: Spencer Martin & Johan Bruyneel

Overview

This episode dives deep into the 2025 UCI World Road Race Championships, held in Kigali, Rwanda. The focus is on Tadej Pogačar's monumental victory, his current dominance in cycling, and what this means for his rivals, especially Remco Evenepoel. Spencer Martin and Johan Bruyneel discuss key moments from the race, the impact of course design, the psychology of top riders, comparisons with Eddy Merckx, and reflect on the results in both the Men’s and Women’s races.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Race Recap and Analysis

• Course & Breakaway Dynamics:

  • Over 250km, nearly 5,000m climbing (Strava data).
  • Unusually strong breakaway featuring serious contenders from several nations.
  • Belgium, the USA, and Mexico set a hard tempo early, ensuring breakaway’s advantage never ballooned.

• Pogačar’s Decisive Move (at Mount Kigali, 104km to go):

  • Attacked with two UAE teammates (Ayuso and Isaac Del Toro).
  • Only Ayuso could initially follow; Del Toro bridged up later, creating a UAE trio at the front.
  • The group behind, led by Belgium, struggled to organize a concerted chase.
  • Quote:
    “Pogačar attacks. The only rider that can go with him is Juan Ayuso. Sticks right on his wheel. Remco Evenepoel was well-placed, started to lose the wheel and then like fell like a stone through the group.” — Spencer (06:03)

• Key Developments:

  • Remco Evenepoel suffers two bike changes due to saddle issues, never regains contact with the lead.
  • Isaac Del Toro eventually dropped; Pogačar rides solo to the finish with an ever-expanding gap.
  • Massive time gaps: 2nd place over a minute behind; 3rd at 2:16; 5th nearly 7 minutes down.

2. Pogačar’s Dominance: Is He Unbeatable?

• Risk or Reward?

  • Panel emphasizes Pogačar’s “non-tactical” tactics: attacks early, controls the race alone, prevents tactical games influencing outcome.
  • Forced the race into pure strength, removing any luck or marking tactics from the equation.
  • Quote:
    “I think it's the opposite [of risky], because by attacking so far out, he's creating a circumstance where only he can win.” — Spencer (14:14)

• Mental and Physical Superiority:

  • Pogačar manages seemingly effortless, controlled performances—rarely looks at his limit.
  • Other favorites clearly at their max, “dead” at the finish.
  • Quote:
    “...he looks still very composed. He's not destroyed. Almost everybody else, they passed the finish line, they were dead.” — Johan (10:10)
  • The course played to his strengths: high attrition, relentless climbing, no recovery.

3. Remco Evenepoel’s Frustrations

• Equipment Issues & What Ifs:

  • Remco upset post-race, disappointed by mechanical issues (saddle tilt and two bike changes).
  • No radio communication meant delayed team support.
  • Johan’s verdict: Even without issues, Remco would not have matched Pogačar on this course.
  • Quote:
    “Would it really have mattered in your opinion? I don't think so. I mean, I don't think he could have beaten Pogačar today. First of all because he got dropped on Mount Kigali.” — Johan (18:40)

• Psychology of Winning & Losing:

  • Remco only satisfied with victory—a hallmark of a true champion.
  • Discussion comparing Remco’s response to adversity vs. Jonas Vingegaard’s resilience in similar situations.
  • Quote:
    “There's like a perseverance angle to being a superstar and winning a lot that it kind of doesn’t feel like he has.” — Spencer (26:18)

4. Historical Comparison: Pogačar vs. Eddy Merckx

• Historical Context:
  • Pogačar becomes the first rider to win both Tour de France and Worlds in back-to-back years.
  • Only five riders have more World titles than Pogačar.
  • Comparison with Merckx’s palmarès, but Johan insists eras are not directly comparable.
  • Quotes:
    “You can’t compare eras... but the athlete Eddy Merckx from the late 60s and 70s, if you put that athlete in today's cycling... would be the best.” — Johan (33:10)
    “The way he wins. It's, it is in Merckx fashion. He just, that's just dominating people.” — Johan (34:54)

5. UAE Team Dynamics & Young Talent

• Team Tactics:
  • Debate on whether UAE’s Del Toro “worked for” Pogačar or simply rode strongly—consensus is the team spirit played a role, despite competing under national flags.
  • Ayuso’s complicated relationship with the team highlighted.
• Generational Shift:
  • Isaac Del Toro (21) and Juan Ayuso (23) both placing top-8 underscores the rise of a new generation.
  • Panel predicts Del Toro may be the next “big thing.”
  • Quotes:
    “That's not normal. What he's [Del Toro] doing at 21 is not normal.” — Spencer (47:09)

6. On Course Design & Race Evolution

• Course Difficulty:
  • Long, relentless, with very little recovery, favoring only the “huge engines.”
  • Discussion of how modern championship courses exclude “outsider” winners, leading to dominance by a few superstars (cites recent Monuments/Worlds: only four winners in the last 21 races).
  • Quote:
    “If it’s ... 5,000 meters there’s only three riders who could potentially win and, and if Pogačar participates there's only one guy who can win if it's. And it’s him.” — Johan (50:09)

7. Women’s World Championship: Surprising Winner

• Madgalene Vallière’s Upset (EF Education, Canada):
  • Broke clear inside last 30km, dropped two established riders, soloed to win.
  • Race marked by tactical hesitance among favorites (Vollering, Longo Borghini, etc.).
  • Lack of race radios again makes for chaos, less control from big teams.
  • Quotes:
    “This Canadian girl... she was away with two other riders who are, you know, very established WorldTour riders and she dropped both of them. So she was the strongest.” — Johan (65:45)

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Is anyone close to Pogacar’s level?

  • “There is no beating this guy... There’s nobody else who is at that level.” — Johan (09:04)

• Remco’s mentality:

  • “He's only satisfied when he wins. And this is a great trait to have as a cyclist, as an athlete.” — Johan (27:08)
  • “When is Remco Evenepoel ever match(ed) Tadej Pogacar on a climb like that? Has it ever happened?” — Spencer (21:49)

• The future for others:

  • “The way it goes now, you just have to try to stay motivated, try to be as good as possible, for when ... he’s either gonna stop his career or start to fade.” — Johan (45:46)

• On course design and fewer winners:

  • “Do you know how many riders have won [the last 21 Monuments/Worlds/Olympics]? Four.” — Spencer (51:12)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 06:03 — Pogačar attacks; the only one to follow is Ayuso.
• 10:10 — Johan on Pogačar’s composure and post-race comparisons.
• 14:14 — Spencer on the so-called “risky” nature of Pogačar’s early attacks.
• 18:40 — Johan on Evenepoel’s mechanicals and overall prospects.
• 21:49 — Spencer’s rhetorical: When did Remco ever match Pogačar on a climb?
• 34:54 — Johan: “The way he wins. It's, it is in Merckx fashion.”
• 47:09 — Del Toro singled out as possibly the next big superstar.
• 50:09 — Johan on hard courses and their limiting effect on the start list.
• 51:12 — Spencer: Only 4 riders have won last 21 top one-day races.
• 65:45 — Johan: “This Canadian girl... she was the strongest. There’s no discussion. Well deserved.”

Additional Highlights

• Tom Skujiņš gets “best heavy rider” nod, 5th place as the only >70kg man in the top 15. (57:50)
• U23 Men’s Race: Lorenzo Finn (Italy, 18) wins impressively — likely one to watch.
• Discussion on radios: World Championships’ lack of communication creates distinctive tactical chaos.
• Women’s race contrasted: Open, unexpected results due to tactical stalemates and less control by continent-dominant teams.
• On legacy: Both analysts agree that while Pogačar is historically great, direct comparison with Merckx’s era is ultimately futile but fun as speculation.

Episode Summary Table

| Segment | Main Topic | Notable Quotes/Insights | Timestamp | |-------------------------|------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------|-----------| | Men’s Race Recap | Pogačar’s solo move, attrition, massive gaps | “He just makes it look smooth…” - J | 06:03–10:10| | Remco’s Frustration | Equipment woes, mental game, rival psychology | “He finished second, had a great race” | 18:40–27:08| | Pogacar/Merckx Debate | Impossible comparisons, winning style | “It is in Merckx fashion...” | 34:54 | | Young Riders Emerging | Del Toro, Ayuso, and the new wave | “That’s not normal...” - S | 47:09 | | Women’s/No Radios | Vallière’s upset, tactical errors, chaos | “She was the strongest.” - J | 65:45 |

Concluding Thoughts

The 2025 World Championships underscored Tadej Pogačar’s near-mythical strength on hard, long, mountainous courses. While mechanics and tactics play a role, the overall message is that currently, only one man stands above all others—and the rest must wait either for his decline or hope for a rare opportunity. The episode also highlights the quirks of Worlds—national teams, no radios, and varying course difficulty—which ensure every edition has its own distinct flavor.

Recommended For:
Cycling fans keen to understand what makes a true champion, the evolution of elite racing, and the stories behind the results, straight from two of the sharpest minds in the sport.