A veteran’s farewell reveals how dramatically cycling has changed.
BASQUE COUNTRY, Spain
After competing against some of the most celebrated champions in professional cycling, Spanish rider Ion Izagirre believes Tadej Pogacar represents a level of performance unlike anything he encountered during his career. The 37-year-old Basque cyclist, who recently retired after 17 professional seasons, offered his assessment in an interview with Sport.es, comparing the Slovenian star with former champions Alberto Contador, Bradley Wiggins, Chris Froome and Vincenzo Nibali.
Izagirre’s judgment carries particular significance because it comes from direct experience rather than historical statistics alone. Throughout his career, he competed in the same peloton as several generations of elite riders, witnessing different approaches to climbing, race strategy and physical preparation. What distinguishes Pogacar, in his assessment, is the extraordinary versatility that allows him to compete at the highest level across different terrains and racing conditions.
His observations also reflect the profound transformation of professional cycling over the past decade and a half. Advances in equipment, sports science, training methodology and performance monitoring have changed how athletes prepare for major competitions. Izagirre acknowledged these developments while emphasizing that the fundamental demands of endurance racing remain intact.
Pogacar’s competitive profile illustrates the consequences of that evolution. Representing UAE Team Emirates XRG, the Slovenian has demonstrated an exceptional ability to combine sustained climbing performance with explosive acceleration, tactical aggression and success in different racing formats. Such characteristics complicate conventional classifications that once separated Grand Tour specialists from riders focused primarily on one-day competitions.
For Izagirre, the comparison is especially meaningful because his career included substantial achievements of his own. He won stages in all three Grand Tours and secured overall victories in major stage races, including the Tour of the Basque Country and Tour de Pologne. His longevity also allowed him to experience how the physical demands and competitive differences within the professional peloton evolved.
His retirement followed an unusually emotional final chapter. Despite fracturing his left wrist during training shortly before Il Lombardia, Izagirre recovered sufficiently to participate in the Italian Monument and complete his career on the road. His team, Cofidis, subsequently acknowledged the determination required to make that farewell possible.
Beyond Pogacar, Izagirre also praised former teammate Alejandro Valverde, emphasizing the Spaniard’s professionalism, preparation and ability to deliver results for his team. The comparison highlights how different champions have shaped professional cycling through distinctive combinations of talent, discipline and competitive intelligence.
As Izagirre moves away from professional racing, his reflections offer more than an endorsement of an exceptional athlete. They raise a broader question about whether modern training systems and increasingly specialized performance technologies are creating a fundamentally different competitive environment.
Pogacar’s achievements remain his own, but the transformation surrounding them is part of a larger evolution affecting the entire sport. Izagirre’s perspective provides a valuable link between generations, revealing how an experienced competitor understands the changing boundaries of athletic excellence.
Beyond the Numbers, the Consequences.