Sports Talk

Pogacar's fifth Tour: dominance is great TV until it isn't

Five titles, joining Anquetil, Merckx, Hinault and Indurain. Third in a row, five stages, record times on the Tourmalet and Alpe d'Huez, winning by almost six and a half minutes. And Merckx himself says a sixth is coming.

I'm genuinely impressed, but I also found myself checking out by the second week. Vingegaard crashed out and there was no real contest left. And I appreciated that the Guardian mentioned the history of teams run by Mauro Gianetti instead of just writing a hagiography. You can admire a rider and still ask questions.

Is this good for cycling, or does the sport need a rival for him?