The year of records?

During the spring classic season of 2026 both Mathieu van der Poel and Tadej Pogacar are pretty close to surpass everyone, including the greatest legends, in some sporting aspects.



Collecting all the five Monuments

There are three cyclists in the history of road cycling who won all the five Monuments at least once during their careers: Rik van Looy, Eddy Merckx, and Roger de Vlaeminck. (Also, there are some riders, like Sean Kelly and Philippe Gilbert, who has collected fourkf them, but were unlucky with their fifth, missing one.)

Both Mathieu van der Poel and Tadej Pogacar won 3 of them (but several times).

Marthieu van der Poel's Monuments

Milano-Sanremo (2023, 2025)

Ronde van Vlaanderen (2020, 2022, 2024)

Paris-Roubaix (2023, 2024, 2025)

Missing Monuments: Liége-Bastogne-Liége and Giro di Lombardia

Tadej Pogacar's Monuments

Ronde van Vlaanderen (2023, 2025)

Liége-Bastogne-Liége (2021, 2024, 2025)

Giro di Lombardia (2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025)

Missig Monuments: Milano-Sanremo and Paris-Roubaux. 

From the two riders, is more likely Pogacar wins his two missing ones than MVDP his ones. 

And yes, technically, itt can be happen this year already, but I don't think Pogacar would ve capable fo win both Milano-Sanremo abd Paris-Rozbaix in the same year

Also, if you consider Strade Bianche as the 6th Monument (I don't, for some very simple reasons), both riders already ticked that box, thus in this sense they have already surpessed the biggest names of road cycling history. 

Best in Flanders

Mathieu van der Poel is already on the top of the list of riders with the most Ronde van Vlanderen victories alongside with Achiel Buysse, Fiorenzo Magni, Eric Leman, Johan Musseeuw, Tom Boonen and Fabian Cancellara.

But with abother victory, he can become the most successful Ronde van Vlaanderen rider ever. 

On the other hand, because Tadej Pogacar has already two victories too, in the case of his winning, he can join to the top riders on the list. 

King of the Cobbles

There are two cyclist with four Paris-Roubaix victories: Roger de Vlaeminck and Tom Boonen.  

In a case of a victory Mathieu van der Poel can join them. 

But there is an aspect what considerinf MVDP would be a record holder in his own right. If he would manage to win Paris-Roubaix this yeary be would be the only ine rider who would manage this remarkable achievement in four consecutive years. 

Conquering Lombardy 

With his five Giro di Lombardia victories Tadej Pogacar is equal with Fausto Coppi. Unlike the Italian legend, Pogacar delivered this performance withis 5 years, so thst make his triumphs a slighly more valuable. 

If he continues his success, with a 
6th victory he could be the sole record holder. 


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