Recently retired leadout man extraordinaire Michael Mørkøv was asked whether he thought the incredible results of riders like Tadej Pogačar, Remco Evenepoel, or Jonas Vingegaard might be suspicious. Given cycling’s long and dark history with performance-enhancing drugs, it’s a fair question. Whenever there are incredible rides, it’s one of the first things asked by the media or fans: when it’s not normal, one thinks about doping.
Michael Mørkøv started his professional cycling career in 2009, following the peak of the doping era, and recently retired during a period when performances by riders like Pogačar and Vingegaard reached unprecedented records and power levels.
On Pogačar, Evenepoel, and Vingegaard
As a result, he has faced questions about doping, a topic he recently discussed on former pro rider Brian Holm and author Bastian Emil’s podcast, Café Eddy.
“It’s true that Pogačar, Evenepoel, and Vingegaard deliver some incredible results, but I’ve been out there with them, and they are definitely lighter and stronger than I am. I don’t feel like I see anything unnatural, but of course, with such remarkable performances, it’s easy to think about the skeletons in the closet from the past,” he said.
On the eve of Il Lombardia, Tadej Pogačar was asked about recent comments by Tour de France director Christian Prudhomme concerning doping suspicions. Prudhomme underscored that, considering cycling’s recent history, such questions are not unfounded. He emphasized that he wouldn’t be shocked or disappointed if evidence of cheating emerged, pointing to the continued challenges the sport faces in maintaining fair competition.
Pogi is the new Merckx
He remarked, “We are seeing champions who are present from the beginning to the end of the season, with the desire to win everything. This makes him resemble Merckx and also Hinault. For years, I’ve heard Bernard say that riders need to rediscover the joy of racing. And that’s exactly what Pogačar is doing.”
Prudhomme also mentioned that stringent measures are in place.
He said, “Controls exist; we fought with ASO to have independent checks, and today that is the case with ITA.” While he admires Pogačar’s remarkable energy and performance, the shadow of past scandals remains in the cycling world.
“Cycling is a victim of its past, but it would be stupid to risk your health for 10 years of a career,”…
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