Bernard Hinault sticks his neck out against criticism of Tadej Pogacar: "As soon as it's a foreigner, you always have to raise doubts"

Bernard Hinault is a five-time winner of the Tour de France, ten-time Grand Tour winner, World Champion and much more... All of this has led him to an absolute legendary status within cycling but the fact that he is French further aided his popularity. The former pro rider believes that if Tadej Pogacar were French he would have a lot less doubts and criticism than the ones that are currently being said of him.

"I am disgusted... Why do we always express doubts? Let's stop asking ourselves questions all the time! It's ridiculous... Do we have proof?" Hinault said in a column for Ouest France. The sport has a dark past and so it is reasonable that some fans have doubts over the best riders in the world, specially at the Tour de France where many are at their very best level. After Sunday's Plateau de Beille stage, where Pogacar, Vingegaard and Evenepoel all beat Marco Pantani's record, more skepticism has emerged.

Most of it because Pogacar took three and a half minutes out of the Italian's previous record, and has raced the climb in just under 40 minutes, averaging almost 7W/Kg; numbers that a decade ago were barely reachable for a climb of half the length. Every year that passes the climbing level is higher in the peloton and that is very visible at the Tour. The likes of Pogacar and Vingegaard are reaching climbing levels never before seen in the sport, part of what is making it a legendary rivalry.

Hinault has been in similarly dominant position decades back, but he defends the Slovenian who despite being incredibly popular, still has his fair share of skeptics over social media who doubt the legitimacy of the UAE Team Emirates rider - specially in a week where an investigation from Escape Collective has brought forward the possibility that carbon monoxide rebreathing may be used by World Tour teams to improve their performance in altitude camps.

"If I were in his place and I had these performances, would there be suspicion? No. As soon as it's a foreigner, you always have to raise doubts," Hinault hits back. "You have to put all the assets on your side to win, and Pogacar is doing what it takes to win"