PARIS, France, Dec 6, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - Tour de France champion Tadej Pogacar and Pauline Ferrand-Prevot, winner of the women's race, were named cyclists of the year at a ceremony in Paris on Friday.

Slovenian Pogacar won the Velo d'Or award for the third time after claiming a fourth Tour de France crown this summer.

The 27-year-old also picked up the Eddy Merckx award for the top classics rider after storming to victory in three of the sport's five one-day 'Monuments' -- the Tour of Flanders, Liege-Bastogne-Liege and the Tour of Lombardy.

Pogacar enjoyed a sensational season with 20 victories in total, including a second world championship.

His goal for 2026 is a record-equalling fifth Tour de France and trying to add the two Monuments missing from his trophy cupboard -- Milan-SanRemo and Paris-Roubaix.

Already the Olympic champion in mountain biking and a world champion in four cycling disciplines -- road, cyclo-cross, gravel and mountain biking -- Ferrand-Prevot added to her impressive achievements by winning Paris-Roubaix and the Tour de France Femmes.