Healy compares Pogacar with Armstrong: ‘Tadej can transcend the sport in the same way Lance did’

Ben Healy has become accustomed to watching Tadej Pogačar disappear up the road. Like most riders of his generation, the Irishman has regularly found himself trying to respond to attacks that few in the peloton can follow.

After finishing third at Liège-Bastogne-Liège in 2025, Healy even asked Pogačar when he was planning to retire. It was a light hearted exchange, but the joke reflected the scale of the challenge facing the Slovenian’s rivals.

Pogačar is no longer simply the strongest rider in the world. His performances, personality and increasing recognition beyond cycling have raised the question of whether he is beginning to transcend the sport.

Healy believes he could.

“It is a difficult comparison because of what Lance did, but I do think Tadej can transcend the sport in the same way Lance did,” Healy said in an interview with Wielerrevue.

The comparison is not about Armstrong’s disgraced legacy, but about the level of fame he achieved. During his years of Tour de France dominance, Armstrong became one of the few cyclists recognised far beyond the sport’s traditional audience.

Healy sees similar potential in Pogačar.

“He has the personality for it,” the EF Education-EasyPost rider said. “The one thing that might limit him slightly is his nationality. It would probably be easier if he were American.

“But when you look at how he dominates the Tour and how he presents himself in the media, I would not be surprised if he became as big as Lance once was.”

Pogačar's profile is already expanding beyond cycling. He was nominated for the 2026 Laureus World Sportsman of the Year award, placing him alongside some of the most prominent athletes in global sport. The prize ultimately went to Spanish tennis star Carlos Alcaraz, but the Slovenians nomination underlined his growing international status.

His success also presents cycling with a familiar dilemma. Pogačar attracts attention, creates memorable moments and gives the sport a recognisable global star. At the same time, his superiority can occasionally remove suspense from its biggest races.

Healy accepts that the viewing experience can suffer when one rider is so far ahead of the rest. Nevertheless, he is convinced Pogacar’s influence is positive.

“For the dedicated cycling fan, some races might be less exciting,” he said. “But Tadej definitely brings more attention to cycling. He is making the sport bigger and giving it more prestige.”

Healy hopes his own aggressive style can provide part of the answer. The Irishman has built his reputation by attacking from distance, embracing unpredictable racing and refusing to wait for the safest moment.

“Hopefully, the way I race can help make those races more exciting and more attractive,” he said.

Healy’s 2026 season was interrupted by an injury that forced him to miss the Ardennes Classics. He returned in June at the Tour Auvergne Rhône Alpes after nearly two months without racing.

He helped EF Education-EasyPost finish third in the team time trial and supported Alex Baudin during his spell in the leader’s jersey. Although Healy did not start the seventh stage, the race provided valuable preparation for the Tour de France.

Next month, he will try to build on a remarkable 2025 Tour, when he won stage six with a long solo attack, wore the yellow jersey, finished ninth overall and was named the race’s most combative rider.