Bernard Hinault weighs in on Pogacar’s Paris-Roubaix debut: “If he gets it into his head that he can win Roubaix, then he will”
Cycling
Tadej Pogacar’s long-anticipated debut at Paris-Roubaix was officially confirmed yesterday, marking a bold new chapter in the world champion’s already storied career. His presence at the Hell of the North will make him the first reigning Tour de France winner to start the race since Greg LeMond in 1991.
One figure who’s particularly pleased to see the Slovenian star take on Roubaix is Bernard Hinault, the legendary Frenchman who won all three Grand Tours and conquered multiple Monuments.
“I did it at the time because I wore the rainbow jersey and wanted to honor that jersey. And who is the world champion now?” Hinault said in an interview with Le Parisien. “If he gets it into his head that he can win Roubaix, then he will.”
Roubaix is famously unpredictable, with crashes and mechanical issues often shaping the outcome. Hinault knows that better than most but dismissed concerns about risk. “A fall can happen at any moment. And who tells me he will fall? In the end, Pogacar himself is the one who decides. If he wants to ride Roubaix, then they should let him do it.”
The five-time Tour de France winner sees a rare kindred spirit in Pogacar. “He is the one who is closest to me and Eddy Merckx,” said Hinault. “He attacks, uphill and on the flat. He rides Grand Tours and Classics. That's why we love him—he is a rider who attacks and says to himself: we'll see what happens.”
Hinault also praised Pogacar’s approach to racing, contrasting it with the more cautious mindset of others in the peloton. “At one point I was called an old fool by saying that you can also win by attacking from far away,” he said. “And that it was more beautiful to watch. Pogacar proves that now. For him cycling is a game that he enjoys. For others it is more of a job, they think far too much. Pogacar listens to no one and if he wants to have Roubaix on his list of achievements, then he has to go for it.”
It's very refreshing and a welcome change of pace to hear a legend from the past share some positive and encouraging words to the now generation for a change. Thank you, Bernard Hinault.
Agree, but just putting it in his head isn’t going to make it happen, or did he doubt himself too much during his 5 MSR attempts? Didn’t look like it.
The only one that can make it happen is the rider himself. I was just happy to hear some words of encouragement rather than another old man shouting 'get off of my lawn' moment.
Just in
Popular news
Latest comments
- hoping wout can “kick start” his season at de ronde just shows why hope is a terrible strategy. the hardest race of the classics season with both pog and mathieu on stratospheric form. good luck. and waiting for mvdp to eventually be “not as good” isn’t a great plan either, i think. matthieu only seems to keep getting BETTER.OCexile31-03-2025
- Too much amatuer psychology. How about this: "he was never as good as when he had not suffered multiple career-threatening injuries." What is happening to him is what happened to Alaphilippe, Bernal, and others. You will notice that his two major peers -- MVDP and Mads - are both at their all time best. You will also note that neither is coming off of anything like the same last 18 months that Wout is. Go back to 2022, then roll the tape forward with Wout remaining healhty and one of them having had multiple traumatic falls. Odds are good he'd be at his dominant best and they would not.MidnightRider31-03-2025
- Raymond Poulidor, Alfredo Binda.... where do we stop. If you want to retitle it is Primoz Roglic the bestr rider never to win the tour in the last ten or 20 years then that might be betterslappers6631-03-2025
- Let me help you. Alfredo BindaUpHill31-03-2025
- He'll certainly last it and prob ride his own race, at the front 😁
leedorney31-03-2025 - Gaio Primus Caesar Roglus, Rome is waiting for you, Imperator :-)).
maria2024202431-03-2025 - And he probably wasn’t even at the limit ;-) Have to wonder how much Mads could catch up if he’d tune his physique to be as sharp as MVDPs’Mistermaumau31-03-2025
- Respect for giving Van Eetvelt credit there.Mistermaumau31-03-2025
- He’s already a star for me for HAVING complained about it, the recent trend having been, let them then try to take advantage by making them sign NDAs ;-)Mistermaumau31-03-2025
- Agreed, but if it was a radio thing then all the riders should have the same story and it would be easy to call anyone out. Kind of surprised this isn’t cleared up half officially afterwards, just like the Alaphilippe divorce, seems like once something spreads on the net it kind of gets accepted that everyone wants to have their own truth so no-one bothers to contest anything that’s verifiable anymore, we all just move on.Mistermaumau31-03-2025