Tadej Pogačar 'vastly superior' to Eddy Merckx, says retiring WorldTour star – for reasons you might not have thought of

Eddy Merckx applauds Tadej Pogacar, as the Slovenian receives the yellow jersey at the end of stage 19 of the Tour de France 2021.

For years cycling fans have sought to compare the rider of the moment to the great Eddy Merckx – the 500-victory 'Cannibal' who ruled the sport in the early 1970s.

Despite the comparisons, very few riders have filled more than a small part of the massive impression Merckx made on the sport – until Tadej Pogačar.