'He's now above me' – Eddy Merckx concedes defeat over being the greatest as new Tadej Pogačar documentary launched

Tadej Pogačar is set to be the subject of the first in a new series of in-depth documentaries profiling the greatest athletes of all time on TNT Sports.

At 45 minutes long, Anatomy of a GOAT features quotes and appearances from a wide range of those familiar with the five-time Tour de France winner, including those who work and race with him – as well as Pogačar himself, who makes a number of brief contributions.

Praise – and yes, it is pretty much praise throughout – for the UAE Team Emirates-XRG rider even comes from the rider he has most been compared to over the past few seasons: Eddy Merckx. The Belgian legend pays homage to Pogačar's attacking spirit and willingness to take on every kind of race, from the Spring Classics to the Tour de France.

“He's bringing back a kind of cycling we had forgotten," says the man they call the 'Cannibal'. "He is now above me.”

“He isn't scared to attack," Merckx adds. "When he’s at the Tour de France wearing the yellow jersey, he attacks. He’s quite like me in that regard. Cycling is more than just stage races or Classics. A great rider has to win both Classics and stage races to be a true champion, after all.”

Spanish Tour de France winner Alberto Contador, who knows what it's like to be placed on a pedestal himself, also weighs in, saying: “If you think about it, it’s very hard to find an athlete in any other discipline across history who is so much better than their rivals. I was thinking about it and I thought, “Let's see. Usain Bolt.” But, of course, Tadej Pogačar is like that in every race he competes in from February to October.”

For Pogačar's part, he talks about needing to have fun, how great his teammates are, and how he pushes through the hard moments – apparently even the GOAT has those.

There are no bombshells here, and if you've followed Pogačar's career closely, you'll already be familiar with much of this content. However, it makes for a competent rider profile and, especially for anyone less au fait with his achievements over the past few years, offers a useful overview of a rider for whom GOAT might be a well-trodden description, but not an unfair one.

Anatomy of a GOAT is set to premiere this Saturday 7 November, on TNT Sports, Eurosport and HBO Max.