At the end of the Tour de France, following the winner's speech, there were also statements from Christian Prudhomme, the director of the yellow jersey race, who, as per protocol, summed up the race. Regarding the winner, Prudhomme crowns Pogacar, but tempers the comparison: "The greatest in history remains Eddy Merckx"

Five Tour de France victories, absolute dominance over three weeks, and the feeling of having written another page in cycling history. Tadej Pogacar closed the 2026 Tour de France by reaching a milestone that belonged only to the giants of this sport, equaling the five victories of Eddy Merckx, Jacques Anquetil, Bernard Hinault, and Miguel Indurain. Yet, for Christian Prudhomme, the debate over the greatest of all time remains open.

The head of the Grande Boucle did not hide his admiration for the Slovenian phenomenon, but also wanted to remind us that cycling history should be evaluated with proper perspective.

"We'll wait a bit longer before making a judgment because, you know, given my age, the absolute champion in my eyes remains Eddy Merckx," Prudhomme explained. "But considering the speed at which Tadej Pogacar is accumulating successes, it's clear that we are witnessing something extraordinary".

The Tour director emphasized how Pogacar's greatness is not measured solely in July victories, but in the consistency shown throughout the entire season.

"What pleases me most is seeing champions who shine not only at the Tour de France. Pogacar is a protagonist throughout the season and this, in my view, is fundamental for the future of cycling. Great champions must be points of reference throughout the year, not just for three weeks".

Despite the Slovenian's dominance, Prudhomme recalled how organizers sought to build a balanced and spectacular Tour, progressively increasing the difficulty of the route to encourage uncertainty.

"As organizers, we always hope to offer a competitive race. That's why we designed a route that grew gradually in difficulty. But in cycling, the same rule always applies: organizers propose and riders dispose".

Pogacar's fifth success came without his leadership being truly questioned. A superiority that, according to Prudhomme, was also favored by the misfortune of some of his main rivals.

"We can only regret the crashes of Jonas Vingegaard and Florian Lipowitz. They probably wouldn't have changed the final result, but they could have made the Tour even more thrilling. In the end, we saw a Remco Evenepoel in splendid condition, and Lipowitz's presence at his side would have been invaluable help".

The Belgian champion himself represents, according to Prudhomme, one of the great reasons for interest in the future of the French race. "The way Remco managed these three weeks leads me to believe he will reach the highest level in the coming years. And when I speak of the highest level, I mean very close to the yellow jersey".

The Tour director then gave an overall assessment of the 2026 edition, describing it with a single word: "hot". "If I had to sum up this Tour in one word, I'd say "hot". Hot from a climatic point of view, because of the heat wave that accompanied the race, but also for the warmth of the public, extraordinary from Barcelona to Alpe d'Huez. We saw immense crowds along the roads and, in these situations, you always walk a tightrope between the magic of the spectacle and the need to ensure the safety of the riders".

Prudhomme also recalled the other great stories told by the Grande Boucle, beyond Pogacar's fifth achievement. "We witnessed an absolute favorite who won with authority, but also extraordinary battles for the other classifications. Richard Carapaz was magnificent in winning the polka dot jersey, while Mads Pedersen impressed everyone with his extraordinary race for the green jersey".

Finally, a look at the future of French and international cycling inevitably passes through two young talents destined to inherit the legacy of great champions.

"The battle for the white jersey between Isaac Del Toro and Paul Seixas could represent the future of the Tour de France. Seixas finished fourth without winning a stage, but demonstrated exceptional talent. These are young riders that make you think of a truly exciting future".

The 2026 Tour de France thus consigns to history a Tadej Pogacar ever closer to sporting immortality. Five successes have already placed him alongside the greatest of all time. For Christian Prudhomme, however, the throne of cycling still belongs to Eddy Merckx. At least for now. If the Slovenian continues to win with this impressive regularity, even the director of the Grande Boucle may soon be forced to reconsider his convictions.