Alberto Contador's former teammate, on the difficulty of what Lance Armstrong did in the Tour de France: "That's why I give so much value to what Lance did. As much as it was said, to win seven in a row..."

EOLO-KOMETA's sports director, Jesús Hernández, known for having been a gregario of the iconic Alberto Contador, has shared his thoughts on the keys to success in the Tour de France in the Marca newspaper. Hernández highlights the importance of having a solid team, a winning mentality and a dose of luck to take victory in this legendary competition.

"The Tour man has to have everything. He can be good, but if he doesn't have equipment or a good mentality... he doesn't win. The one who wins is the one who has all the qualities and, in addition, is lucky," Hernandez emphasizes. His words highlight the complexity of winning the Tour and how factors in addition to mere physical strength play a crucial role in achieving victory.

In this regard, Hernandez points out that the rider who dominates the competition must possess a perfect combination of skills and characteristics. We have often seen situations where the strongest rider fails to win the yellow jersey. It is necessary to have all the necessary qualities and, at the same time, to have that bit of luck that can make the difference.

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The sports director compares the luck of winning the Tour to that of winning the Euromillón, emphasizing that all the carambolas must align in favor of the cyclist to achieve success. Hernández mentions riders such as Contador, Sastre and Pereiro, who, he says, have not been sufficiently valued despite having all the necessary characteristics to win the race.

Hernández also reflects on the future of cycling and mentions promising young riders such as Carlos Rodríguez or Juan Ayuso, who could inherit the legacy of the great champions. However, he stresses the importance of luck in not meeting exceptional riders like Tadej Pogacar. An example of this is what happened with Primoz Roglic, who, despite having all the necessary qualities, was deprived of the triumph due to circumstances.

In this context, Jesús Hernández especially values the achievements of Lance Armstrong and Miguel Indurain, two riders who were able to dominate the competition for several consecutive years without anything standing in their way of victory. Hernández recognizes Armstrong's merit in winning seven consecutive Tours de France, overcoming all the adverse circumstances that arose. Similarly, he highlights Indurain's ability to align the stars in his favor and triumph in the race for five consecutive years.

In conclusion, Jesús Hernández's words reveal that winning the Tour de France goes beyond mere talent and physical strength. It requires a solid team, a winning mentality and, of course, a dose of luck. Through the examples of Lance Armstrong and Miguel Indurain, Hernandez highlights how these riders were able to overcome all circumstances and dominate the competition for several consecutive years. The future of cycling is in the hands of the new generations, who will have to bring together all these qualities and hope that the stars align in their favor in their quest to conquer the coveted yellow jersey of the Tour de France.