"We have to stop this debate" – what does Lance Armstrong really think of Tadej Pogačar?

It’s over 20 years since the last of his seven Tour de France 'victories', but Lance Armstrong continues to be a presence in cycling, both for his opinions and the unfounded allegations of doping that surface against any more recently successful cyclist.

So what is Armstrong’s opinion of today’s outstanding competitor, Tadej Pogačar, who at age 27 already has four Tour overall wins to his name, as well as a Giro d’Italia victory, two World Championships, a host of shorter stage races and one-day races, and every Monument except Paris-Roubaix? 

Well, on Armstrong’s own The Move podcast, recorded following Pogačar‘s third Tour of Flanders win this year, he said: “We have to stop this debate. For me, this is over. This guy is that good. He’s the greatest of all time, by far. This is the best ever.”

Eclipsing Mercx

Armstrong’s opinion is that Pogačar‘s achievements already eclipse those in the 1960s and 70s of Eddy Merckx, who is widely considered the greatest cyclist of all time.

According to Armstrong, it was: “Just another incredible performance by Tadej Pogačar.” Armstrong points out that, after the Tour of Flanders win, he’d raced three times in 2026 and won all three, despite crashing in Milan-San Remo, making it seven victories in a row, taking account of his wins at the tail end of 2025.

Since the podcast was recorded in April, Pogačar has also won the Tour de Romandie and Tour de Suisse week-long stage races, and he currently leads the Tour de France having won stage three.

The Move contributor Spencer Martin suggests that Pogačar wins four Monuments every 12 months and would, at the same rate, eclipse Merckx’s total of 19 Monument wins by the end of 2028. Armstrong has predicted, though, that Pogačar, who currently has 13 Monuement wins to his name, could retire by this date, having run out of races to win. 

He reckons the 2026 Tour de France route is ideal for Pogačar to dominate, which he already seems to be doing. If he wins, the Slovenian will add a fifth overall victory, matching Jacques Anquetil, Merckx, Bernard Hinault and Miguel Indurain.

On TikTok, Armstrong has compared Pogačar‘s racing to his own time in the peloton, stating that Pogačar is happy to allow other teams to control a race before showing them who’s boss. He also suggests competitors race expecting Pogačar to launch an attack that they will not be able to counter.

In October 2025, Armstrong defended Pogačar, criticising the frequent attacks made on his dominance and aspersions on his performances and likening this to how he was treated.

Well, there was justification in his case. It’s Armstrong and his peers from his era whose doping continues to taint professional cycling and lead to every outstanding performance being questioned – not just Pogačar‘s but those of Vingegaard and before them Froome, Wiggins and others.