Tadej Pogačar misses out on Laureus World Sportsman of the Year award for second year in a row

Tadej Pogačar was once again overlooked for the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year award, losing out to tennis star Carlos Alcaraz at the recent ceremony. This marks the second consecutive year the Slovenian cycling sensation has been nominated but failed to secure the prestigious accolade. Additionally, Egan Bernal and Simon Yates, both nominated for the Comeback of the Year award, also missed out, highlighting a broader trend for cycling at these global sporting honours.

This repeated snub for Pogačar, despite his dominant performances including a Giro d'Italia victory and multiple Monument wins, underscores cycling's persistent struggle for mainstream recognition against sports with wider global appeal. While Pogačar's achievements are undeniable within the peloton, the Laureus jury, comprising sporting legends, evidently prioritises sports with larger international footprints. For Bernal and Yates, their nominations were a testament to remarkable resilience, but ultimately, the narrative of their comebacks didn't resonate as strongly as other nominees.

Ultimately, Pogačar's trophy cabinet is already overflowing with cycling's most coveted prizes. Perhaps the Laureus committee simply hasn't caught up to what the rest of the cycling world already knows.