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

Tadej Pogačar has been nominated for the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year award for the second consecutive year but was once again unsuccessful in securing the accolade. Despite a remarkable 2025 season that included 20 victories, such as the Tour de France, World Championships, and three Monuments, the Slovenian cyclist lost out to Spanish tennis star Carlos Alcaraz. The award ceremony took place in Madrid, where Alcaraz was recognised for his outstanding achievements, including winning the French Open and US Open in 2025. The Laureus nominations featured a diverse group of elite athletes, including pole vaulter Armand Duplantis, footballer Ousmane Dembélé, MotoGP rider Marc Márquez, and tennis player Jannik Sinner, highlighting the competitive nature of the award. Other cycling figures were also present at the event, with Egan Bernal and Simon Yates contending for the Comeback of the Year award, although neither prevailed. Bernal’s return to form after a serious injury and Yates’s dramatic Giro d’Italia victory were notable highlights of the cycling season. Cycling has struggled to claim Laureus awards in recent years, with no road cyclist winning since Bernal’s Breakthrough of the Year in 2020. Tom Pidcock was the only cyclist to receive recognition at the 2025 awards, taking home the Action Sportsperson of the Year for his mountain bike gold at the 2024 Olympics. Historically, Lance Armstrong remains the only cyclist to have won the Laureus Sportsman of the Year, back in 2003, while no female cyclist has yet won the Sportswoman of the Year award. The continued absence of road cyclists from the top Laureus honours reflects the challenges the sport faces in gaining broader recognition beyond its traditional fan base. With Pogačar’s dominance on the road unmatched in recent memory, his repeated nominations underscore his status as one of the leading figures in global sport. The cycling community will be watching closely to see if future seasons bring the breakthrough that could finally bring the Laureus top prize to the sport once more.