“Pantani was the best climber, Pogacar resembles me but doesn’t have…” says Merckx

For 60 years, Eddy Merckx was considered the greatest cyclist in history, and no one had ever come close to what he had achieved. In recent years, however, things have changed, and the debate—always alive in the world of cycling—now is: Is Pogacar stronger than Merckx was? Who will be the greatest cyclist in history once the Slovenian retires?

To this question, and many others, “The Cannibal” responded once again in an interview given to La Gazzetta dello Sport for his 80th birthday. Many topics were discussed, including the comparison with Pogacar and a heartfelt thought about Pantani. These were his words:

ON POGACAR – “Does he resemble me? In the way he wins, yes, absolutely. But he doesn’t have the rivals I had. I was impressed by how he won the World Championship and the last Il Lombardia with crazy solo attacks, and by how he dropped everyone, sitting down, on the Mur de Huy at La Flèche Wallonne. He’s right to win every time he can. The strongest should win. A true champion acts like that: you give gifts at Christmas and on birthdays.”

ON PANTANI – “The greatest pure climber of all time. I called him to encourage him after the Milano–Torino crash. I would have liked to know him better.”

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