2024-2025 Road Cycling Season Review: The Duel Between Pogačar and Evenepoel

The 2024-2025 season witnessed road cycling entering a new golden era. The rivalry between two young talents, Tadej Pogačar and Remco Evenepoel, evokes memories of the classic duels between Hinault and LeMond, and Contador and Froome. This article provides a comprehensive review of this spectacular season, covering the three Grand Tours, the Classics, and the World Championships.

2024 Season: The Year of Pogačar’s Dominance

Giro d’Italia

The 2024 Giro was the starting point of Pogačar’s Triple Crown campaign. He displayed absolute dominance from the very first week:

Key Stage Recap:

Stage 2 Individual Time Trial (Foligno → Perugia, 15.1km):

• Pogačar finished in 17’07", 12 seconds ahead of second-placed Daniel Martinez
• Estimated average power: 430W (6.5 W/kg)
• Rode the Colnago TT1 time trial bike

Stage 15 Mountain Stage (Manerba del Garda → Livigno):

• This was the decisive stage, featuring two HC climbs: Foscagno and Livigno
• Pogačar attacked with 8 km remaining, climbing at 6.8 W/kg
• Finished with a lead of over 7 minutes over the second-placed GC rider

Final Giro d’Italia Results:

1. Tadej Pogačar (UAE)     86h 41' 28"
2. Daniel Martinez (BORA)  +6' 38"
3. Geraint Thomas (INEOS)  +7' 49"

Pogačar's Giro Statistics Summary:
- Stage wins: 6
- Days in the Pink Jersey: 18
- King of the Mountains points: 1st
- Average power on total climbing: 6.2 W/kg

Tour de France

Just five weeks after the Giro, Pogačar set out to conquer the Tour de France, becoming the first rider since Pantani in 1998 to complete the Giro-Tour double in the same year.

The Head-to-Head with Evenepoel:

Evenepoel, making his Tour de France debut, was considered the biggest rival. A comparison of the two:

Data Comparison          Pogačar        Evenepoel
──────────────────────────────────────
Age (2024)              25 years       24 years
Height/Weight           176cm/66kg     171cm/61kg
Estimated FTP            440W(6.67W/kg) 410W(6.72W/kg)
Time Trial Ability       Elite          Elite
Climbing Ability         Elite          Elite
Descending Skills        Aggressive     Conservative
Sprint Ability           Strong         Moderate
Grand Tour Experience    Extensive      Limited

Key Tour de France Stages:

Stage 4 Individual Time Trial (Plumelec → Plumelec, 25.3km):

• Evenepoel showcased his time trial strength, finishing just 12 seconds behind Pogačar
• This stage established the dynamic of the two-man battle

Stage 14 (Pau → Saint-Lary-Soulan):

• Pyrenees mountain stage, featuring the Col du Tourmalet
• Pogačar launched a 45-minute long-range attack at the summit of the Tourmalet
• Evenepoel initially held on, but gradually lost ground in the final 15 km
• Pogačar’s data: 6.85 W/kg average for the final 30 minutes

Stage 15 Plateau de Beille:

• Considered by many as the best stage of 2024
• Pogačar reached the summit of the 15.8 km, 7.9% climb in 45’03"
• Broke the record set by Pantani in 1998
• Estimated power: 6.92 W/kg sustained for 45 minutes

Final Tour de France Results:

1. Tadej Pogačar (UAE)       83h 38' 56"
2. Jonas Vingegaard (Visma)  +6' 17"
3. Remco Evenepoel (Soudal)  +9' 18"

Pogačar's Tour de France Statistics:
- Stage wins: 6 (including time trial)
- Days in the Yellow Jersey: 17
- Time lead on total climbing: Overwhelming

UCI Road World Championships (Zurich)

After completing the Giro-Tour double, Pogačar set his sights on the World Championship rainbow jersey, attempting to achieve a historic Triple Crown.

Course Analysis: The Zurich circuit was 273.9 km long, featuring multiple short climbs with a total elevation gain of approximately 4,470 meters. A course suited for all-rounders.

Race Summary:

• Pogačar showed absolute strength in the final 100 km
• Launched a decisive attack on the Zurichbergstrasse climb (1.1km, 5.7%) on the final lap
• Soloed across the line, finishing over 30 seconds ahead of second place
• Completed the historic Giro + Tour + World Championship Triple Crown

This was the first time a rider had achieved this feat in the same year since Eddy Merckx in 1974.

2025 Season Outlook

Evenepoel’s Counter-Attack Plan

In 2025, Evenepoel’s team has made adjustments to address the shortcomings of 2024:

1. Grand Tour Experience: Increased training for third-week resilience
2. Descending Skills: Working with specialist descending coaches to improve weaknesses
3. Team Support: Soudal-QuickStep has strengthened its mountain domestique roster
4. Race Program: Considering racing the Giro first to build confidence before the Tour

Equipment Trends

Equipment development trends for the 2024-2025 season:

Frames

Trend: All-round aero frames become the mainstream
─────────────────────────────────────
UAE: Colnago Y1Rs → Balancing aero and lightweight
Visma: Cervélo S5 → Extreme aero focus
Soudal: Specialized Tarmac SL8 → Lightweight priority
INEOS: Pinarello Dogma F → Balanced approach

Wheels

Trend: 50-60mm deep-section wheels become standard for road races
─────────────────────────────────────
UAE: Enve SES 5.6 (Front 50/Rear 56mm)
Visma: Shimano C60 (60mm)
Soudal: Roval Rapide CLX II (51mm)
For heavy mountain stages: Teams switch to 35-40mm lightweight wheels

Drivetrains

Trend: Electronic shifting + power meters are standard equipment
─────────────────────────────────────
Shimano Dura-Ace Di2: Used by approximately 60% of teams
SRAM RED AXS: Used by approximately 35% of teams
Campagnolo Super Record EPS: Used by approximately 5% of teams
Gear ratio trend: 52/36 chainrings + 11-34 cassette becomes mainstream

Data Analysis: Capability Radar Chart of the Two Riders

Capability Dimension (out of 10)      Pogačar    Evenepoel
────────────────────────────────────────
Flat terrain cruising               8.5        8.0
Short climbs (<20min)                10.0       9.5
Long climbs (>40min)                 10.0       9.0
Individual time trial                9.5        9.5
Sprint ability                       7.5        6.0
Descending skills                    9.5        7.5
Tactical acumen                      9.0        8.0
Three-week race recovery             10.0       8.5
Classics adaptability                9.0        8.0
Mental resilience                    10.0       8.5

Total                                93.0       82.5

Impact on the Future of Professional Cycling

Pogačar’s 2024 performance redefined the standard of “excellence”:

1. Training Method Innovation: UAE’s high-altitude training camp model is being emulated by other teams
2. Race Strategy Shift: Pogačar’s attacking style has broken the traditionally conservative GC approach
3. Intensified Equipment Competition: Team sponsors are investing more R&D resources in pursuit of marginal gains
4. Youth Movement: Two riders under 25 dominating the sport signals a long-term competitive landscape

Key Data Comparison: The Greatest GC Riders in History

Rider            Best Tour Climbing Power    Grand Tour Wins    World Championship Gold
──────────────────────────────────────────────────────
Eddy Merckx      N/A (no power meters)       11                 3
Bernard Hinault  N/A                         10                 1
Miguel Indurain  ~6.1 W/kg                  7                  0
Chris Froome     ~6.2 W/kg                  7                  0
Tadej Pogačar    ~6.9 W/kg                  6+                 1
Jonas Vingegaard ~6.7 W/kg                  2                  0
Remco Evenepoel  ~6.7 W/kg                  1                  1

The 2024-2025 season proves that road cycling is in a golden era brimming with talent. The duel between Pogačar and Evenepoel is just beginning, and the thrilling battles in the years to come are something every cycling fan can look forward to.

Related Reading

• Tadej Pogačar 2025 Season Review: 50 Race Days, 20 Wins, A Superhuman Year Surpassing 100 Career Victories
• Tour de France 2024: Analysis of the Mountains Classification Battle and Yellow Jersey Suspense
• Tour de France 2024 Season Review: Key Moments and Tactical Analysis
• A Look Back at Major Cycling Events and Results of 2024