It looks like Tadej Pogacar is getting close to Alberto Contador’s 4 Velo d’Or record. Will he ever beat it?

On December 6, Tadej Pogacar became the fourth cyclist in history to win more than one Velo d’Or. Lance Armstrong got to 5… but after his doping incident, all of them were taken away. Aside from the American, Miguel Induráin, Alberto Contador, and Chris Froome are the other riders who have won multiple awards before the UAE Team Emirates boss.

The Ballon d’Or in sports is the same thing as the Velo d’Or. It has been around since 1992 for men’s racing.

Miguel Indurain (ESP), Tony Rominger (SUI), and Claudio Chiappucci (ITA) won in 1992.

Miguel Indurain (ESP), Maurizio Fondriest (ITA), and Tony Rominger (SUI) won in 1993.

1994: Eugeni Berzin (RUS), Tony Rominger (SUI), and Miguel Indurain (ESP).

It was 1995: Abraham Olano (ESP), Miguel Indurain (ESP), and Laurent Jalabert (FRA).

Abel Museeuw (BEL), Bjarne Riis (DEN), and Alex Zülle (SUI) in 1996.

Jan Ullrich (GER), Laurent Jalabert (FRA), and Marco Pantani (ITA) won in 1997.

Marco Pantani (ITA), Michele Bartoli (ITA), and Lance Armstrong (USA) won in 1998.

Lance Armstrong (USA), Jan Ullrich (GER), and Andrei Tchmil (BEL) in 1999.

Trekking: Lance Armstrong (USA), Erik Zabel (GER), and Jan Ullrich (GER) in 2000

2001: Erik Dekker (NED), Lance Armstrong (USA), and Erik Zabel (GER).

This year, Mario Cipollini (ITA), Lance Armstrong (USA), and Paolo Bettini (ITA) won.

Lance Armstrong (USA), Paolo Bettini (ITA), and Alexander Vinokourov (KAZ) in 2003.

2004: ×scar Freire (ESP), Lance Armstrong (USA), and Damiano Cunego (ITA).

Mark Cavendish (GBR), Lance Armstrong (USA), and Danilo Di Luca (ITA) in 2005.

Paolo Bettini (ITA), Alejandro Valverde (ESP), and Fabian Cancellara (SUI) in 2006.

Alberto Contador (ESP), Fabian Cancellara (SUI), and Paolo Bettini (ITA) won in 2007.

It was Alberto Contador (ESP), Fabian Cancellara (SUI), and Carlos Sastre (ESP) in 2008.

Alberto Contador (ESP), Mark Cavendish (GBR), and Fabian Cancellara (SUI) won in 2009.

Fabian Cancellara (SUI), Alberto Contador (ESP), and Andy Schleck (LUX) won in 2010.

Philippe Gilbert (BEL), Cadel Evans (AUS), and Mark Cavendish (GBR) won in 2011.

Bradley Wiggins (GBR), Tom Boonen (BEL), and Joaquim Rodríguez (ESP) won in 2012.

It was Chris Froome (GBR), Vincenzo Nibali (ITA), and Peter Sagan (SVK) in 2013.

Alberto Contador (ESP), Vincenzo Nibali (ITA), and Alejandro Valverde (ESP) won in 2014.

Chris Froome (GBR), Peter Sagan (SVK), and Fabio Aru (ITA) won in 2015.

In 2016, Peter Sagan (SVK), Chris Froome (GBR), and Nairo Quintana (COL) won the race.

Chris Froome (GBR), Tom Dumoulin (NED), and Peter Sagan (SVK) won in 2017.

Julian Alaphilippe (FRA), Alejandro Valverde (ESP), and Geraint Thomas (GBR) won in 2018.

2019: Egan Bernal (COL), Julian Alaphilippe (FRA), and Primož Roglič (SLO).

2020: Primož Roglič (SLO), Tadej Pogačar (SLO), and Wout van Aert (BEL).

2021: Primož Roglič (SLO), Tadej Pogačar (SLO), and Wout van Aert (BEL).

2022: Remco Evenepoel (BEL), Wout van Aert (BEL), and Tadej Pogačar (SLO).

Jonathan Vingegaard (DEN), Mathieu van der Poel (NED), and Tadej Pogačar (SLO) will be in the 2023 team.

2024: Matthew van der Poel (NED), Remco Evenepoel (BEL), and Tadej Pogačar (SLO).

It was created in 2022 to honor women who ride bikes.

Annemiek van Vleuten (NED), Lotte Kopecky (BEL), and Pauline Ferrand-Prévot (FRA) will be in 2022.

It will be Demi Vollering (NED), Lotte Kopecky (BEL), and Annemiek van Vleuten (NED) in 2023.

It will be Lotte Kopecky (BEL), Demi Vollering (NED), and Kasia Niewiadoma (POL) in 2024.

It was made in 2023 to honor the best classics rider of the season with the Eddy Merckx Trophy. Since the beginning, it has been given to both men and women at the same time.

Matthieu van der Poel (NED), Tadej Pogačar (SLO), and Remco Evenepoel (BEL) in 2023.

2024: Mathieu van der Poel (NED), Jasper Philipsen (BEL), and Tadej Pogačar (SLO).

2023: Sarah Jackson (CAN), Lotte Kopecky (BEL), and Demi Vollering (NED).

2024: Lotte Kopecky

Two new awards have been made for the year 2024. The first one is the Chris Hoy Trophy, which goes to the rider who did the best in any of the Olympic sports. In other words, BMX, road, track, and mountain bikes.

Harrie Lavreysen (NED) in 2024

Last but not least, a Gino Mader Trophy was made in honor of the rider who died in 2023 after a terrible fall in the Tour de Suisse. It’s an award for the rider who does the most things off the bike. The Swiss man gave money to good projects and got involved in many of them.

2024: Luis Angel Maté

When we come back to the men’s Velo d’Or, the question is clear. Will Pogacar be able to pass Chris Froome, pass Miguel Induráin, and catch up to Alberto Contador to become the cyclist who has won this award the most times? He has 26 years and several more seasons at the top level.

It looks like the answer is clear from his 2024 path. We haven’t seen his 2025 schedule yet, but it looks like he will try to do a Grand Tour double again. The only change is that this time it looks like it will happen during the Tour de France and the Vuelta a España.

He is expected to ride in the Tour of Flanders again after skipping it a few months ago. He will also try to win Milan-San Remo again, should be at Liège-Bastogne-Liège, and there’s no reason he shouldn’t try to win Il Lombardia for the fifth time in a row. We also think he will defend his rainbow shirt at the World Cup.

It’s most likely that Jonas Vingegaard and Mathieu van der Poel will win the Velo d’Or in 2025. The Dane will be trying to get back to his best after a terrible crash in the Itzulia last year. The Dutchman, on the other hand, will need to win all of the classics and do well in the other races to have a chance.

It’s not impossible that Remco Evenepoel will win, but in a year without the Olympics, he will have to beat the race in Rwanda and probably go on a Grand Tour to try to argue with Pogacar or Vingegaard.