Arnaud Démare believes Tadej Pogacar is searching for more than just victories

Pogačar has picked up in 2026 exactly where he left off in 2025. In four race appearances, he has taken three victories and finished second at Paris-Roubaix behind Wout van Aert, an extraordinary strike rate.

“I think he’s the best cyclist we’ve ever seen,” Démare said to RMC Sport. “At times, it even looks like he’s searching for something more, like he needs a different kind of challenge.”

Pogačar’s dominance has been most visible at the Tour de France. According to Démare, the defining feature is not just strength, but the ease with which it is applied.

“You’re at full gas, thinking about positioning before a climb, and he’s completely relaxed,” he said. “That’s when you understand the gap.”

That gap has consequences. Within the peloton, it alters expectations. Beyond it, Démare suggests, it can affect how races are perceived. “There are moments where you already know how it’s going to end,” he said. “That changes the way people watch.”

It also helps explain why Pogačar has begun to step outside his usual terrain of Grand Tours throughout the years. His participation in Paris-Roubaix, a race defined by unpredictability, was widely interpreted as a deliberate move away from control towards uncertainty.

“He goes there because it’s different,” Démare said. “Because it’s not straightforward, because it’s not something he can dominate in the same way.”

Even so, the Slovenian’s range continues to stand out. Few riders combine his level across stage races and one day events, across climbing, descending and racing instinct. Weaknesses, if they exist, are difficult to identify. A sprint defeat to Wout van Aert is cited as one of the rare examples, though even that says more about his versatility than any limitation.

“He’s competitive everywhere,” Démare said. “That’s what makes the difference.”

For his rivals, the implications are clear, according to the Frenchman. “When he’s on the start line, you’re often riding for second place,” he said.

With the sport’s major targets already within reach, Pogačar’s trajectory appears to be moving beyond conventional measures of success. Démare sees a rider motivated not just by victories, but by the idea of pushing beyond what has been done before.

“He wants to write something new,” he concluded.