"I like it… he reminds me of myself" – Women’s cycling icon Jeannie Longo sees herself in Tadej Pogacar’s dominance

Jeannie Longo has never been shy about calling things as she sees them — and in conversation with Cyclism’Actu, the French cycling great offered a striking comparison: watching Tadej Pogacar tear races apart reminds her of her own peak years.

The multiple Tour de France winner said she has always loved riders who attack from the front, and sees that exact spirit reflected in the Slovenian. “I like it… And I’m going to be a bit pretentious here, but it reminds me of myself!” Longo said, adding simply: “I like attackers.”

Longo went further, arguing that Pogacar wins because he refuses to follow a predictable script. “I think that tactically, he does things that I used to do — original things,” she explained. While the sport often expects leaders to wait for a specific climb or a final lap, Longo believes Pogacar succeeds precisely because he does the opposite.

“You shouldn’t attack where everyone expects you to. And that’s what Tadej does,” she said. “He has a tactical side that I really like: brave, unpredictable. And he does 80-kilometre time trials!”

That blend of aggression and unpredictability is, in her mind, cycling as it should be ridden.

Longo also spoke proudly about the current wave of French talent in both the men’s and women’s peloton. From Pauline Ferrand-Prevot’s Tour de France triumph to the rapid rise of Maeva Squiban, Paul Magnier and Paul Seixas, she sees a country more invested in cycling than at any point in her long career.

“I think there are a lot of cyclists,” she said. Living on a mountain road, she sees the boom daily — and crucially, sees far more women on bikes than in the past. “France is equipping itself with good bikes; there’s a whole population of riders now.”

But she also cautioned that talent is only the start. “Reaching high-level competition is always difficult: you have to set priorities, you have to decide to be a top-level athlete. It’s not easy.”

Longo believes Paul Seixas can one day ride the Tour de France, but warns against rushing him. “He’s young, you shouldn’t burn him out,” she said. “He needs to take things step by step. But why not the Tour? Yes, he can do it, but you have to spare him.”

She also reflected on what French fans respond to most. “The French public likes French riders who win,” she said. “Whether it’s a woman or a man, it’s the same.” In her own era, the yellow jersey brought big crowds to her side — and she sees the same now with Ferrand-Prevot, who was “extremely well supported” last summer.

For Longo, the long wait for a French male Tour winner is real but normal. “Not everyone wins the Tour de France — there’s only one winner a year. It’s not easy.”

In the end, Longo’s reflections paint a picture of a legend who still follows the sport closely, still recognises the traits that define true champions, and still takes pride in seeing French cycling flourish around her. And while her own competitive days are long behind her, her voice — sharp, experienced and unmistakably her own — remains very much part of the conversation.