Four-time Tour de France winner Tadej Pogacar astounded to be awarded L'Equipe Champion des Champions Monde - 'Can't place myself that high'
Updated 29/12/2025 at 18:32 GMT
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Tadej Pogacar is in highly-esteemed company after winning L'Equipe's Champion des Champions Monde award, joining sporting legends and former winners that include: Michael Jordan, Usain Bolt, Roger Federer, Lionel Messi, Serena Williams, Simone Biles and Novak Djokovic. Pogacar accepted the award magnanimously, with the female equivalent won by Canadian swimming sensation Summer McIntosh.
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Tadej Pogacar is eager to continue reaching new heights in cycling after winning L'Equipe’s prestigious 'Champion des Champions Monde' award.
Pogacar received the accolade alongside Canadian swimming superstar Summer McIntosh, and becomes the first cyclist to be bestowed with the honour since Greg LeMond in 1989.
The 27-year-old has already achieved incredible success after winning the Tour de France four times and the 2024 Giro d’Italia.
L’Equipe also named two winners in the Champion des Champions France award, with Pauline Ferrand-Prevot winning in this category for a fourth time after her victory in this year’s Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift.
Meanwhile, the men’s award was scooped up for a third time by three-time Paralympic cycling champion Alexandre Leaute.
"There's always room for improvement, to see how I can be even better, how far I can go," Pogacar told L'Equipe.
"So it's not very difficult to stay motivated, even more so when you know I have a long contract with my team and many years ahead of me. And when you have good results, motivation comes easily. It's more complicated when you don't win much or at all."
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When speaking about the other award winners, Pogacar continued: "Honestly, I wouldn't have put myself on that list. I can't place myself that high.
"I see some really cool names. Champions... I am very honoured and happy to be part of this list."
Focus has already turned to Pogacar's hopes for the 2026 season, with Pogacar hinting he would rather win Paris-Roubaix for the first time instead of claiming a fifth Tour de France title.
Pogacar won arguably the most famous race in cycling in 2020, 2021, 2024 and 2025, and the lure of breaking his Paris-Roubaix duck is very strong.
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When asked what would mean more, Pogacar replied: "I think I would choose the Roubaix.
"I have won the Tour de France four times. I think there is a bigger difference between zero and one than four and five.
"If it would come to choosing, if I could start one and the other or the Roubaix was at the same time as the Tour, I think it would come down to a decision from the team as to which one I do.
"I don't see another way where I would compromise one or the other."
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It has already been revealed that Pogacar will ride at Italy’s Strade Bianche and Milano-Sanremo, while the 27-year-old will still try and add the Tour de France into his already hectic schedule.
The Slovenian will also compete at the Tour of Flanders and Liege-Bastogne-Liege, with his appearance at Paris-Roubaix sandwiched in between.
His plans for the second half of 2026 are still very much undecided though, and he did not rule out competing in La Vuelta, which starts on August 22.
"I can't guarantee anything, honestly," he added. "With my mind, I can decide in a second to do something that will collapse all of the calendar.
"Even the Vuelta, everything is open until they close the sign on."
Watch and stream the 2026 cycling season live on TNT Sports and discovery+
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