Bernard Hinault defends Tadej Pogacar amid doping suspicions: “They are killing their own sport”
Cycling
Five-time Tour de France winner Bernard Hinault has come out
strongly in defence of Tadej Pogacar, who has once again found himself the
subject of doping speculation, largely due to his astonishing success and
cycling’s troubled history with performance-enhancing drugs.
The fact that Tadej Pogacar is currently tearing up the rule
book by winning both grand tours and one day races will not be helping the
doubters. But Hinault is not one of those who doubts the Slovenian.
Speaking to RMC, Hinault took aim at the recurring
suspicions and particularly the French voices behind them, "Why is it
always the French who cast doubt? It's strange, isn't it? It's never the
Spanish, Italian or Belgian teams. We're complainers, I think, and because we
don't win, it's the others who cheat," said the last Frenchman to win the
Tour.
His comments were a direct response to remarks made by
Jean-René Bernaudeau, who had voiced scepticism about Pogacar’s dominance, "He
is very, very strong, but if he could give guarantees that no problems will
arise, that would be great."
Hinault did not hold back in his reaction, "It's still
terrible, they have to stop. They are killing their own sport. They could shut
their mouths from time to time, it feels good," he replied.
He went on to highlight the hypocrisy of how riders are
treated depending on nationality:
"What would we say if he were French? When Alaphilippe won the classics
and the World Championships, did we say there was doubt? No. It breaks my heart
to hear that all the time.”
For Hinault, modern cycling is more thrilling than ever, and
Pogacar is at the centre of that excitement, "Before, I would sit in front
of the television for the last ten minutes or the last ten kilometers because I
knew nothing was going to happen," he said. "There is such a fight
between these champions that it fascinates you, you think to yourself 'are
these idiots going to beat each other up or what?' And they do."
Fin MajorCycling Journalist
Fin Major is a UK-based writer at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2024. He is the site’s main writer for FAQs and evergreen explainers and has written around 2,000 pieces for the platform. Alongside this work, he focuses on in-depth analysis and covers the biggest races on the calendar, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, providing clear context around performance trends, tactics, and key storylines.
In his reporting, Fin uses reputable data sources such as ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. Outside of writing, Fin is an active cyclist, which supports his practical understanding of the sport and its demands.
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