Christian Prudhomme, the director of the Tour de France, recently spoke with La Dépêche du Midi about Tadej Pogačar’s impressive performance at the world championship in Zurich. On Sept. 29, the cycling world was stunned when Pogačar broke away with 100 kilometres to go, clinching a win for the ages.
With this victory, he completed the Triple Crown—becoming the first male rider to do so since Stephen Roche in 1987. Eddy Merckx achieved it in 1974, winning the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and the world championship. However, given the extraordinary nature of this win, skepticism has arisen among fans and officials alike.
The shadow of cycling’s dark history is always felt
Acknowledging the questions surrounding Pogačar’s dominance, Prudhomme stated, “Given the recent history of cycling, the question is not illegitimate.” He emphasized that he would not be surprised or disappointed if evidence of cheating were ever revealed, highlighting the ongoing challenges the sport faces in ensuring fair competition.
Reflecting on Pogačar’s approach, Prudhomme drew parallels to legendary cyclists like Eddy Merckx and Bernard Hinault. 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.”
Confident with doping controls
As discussions about doping continue, Prudhomme reinforced that stringent measures are in place. He noted, “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. the cycling world.
Following his win in Zurich, the Team UAE Emirates rider took another strong victory on Saturday. Wearing his rainbow jersey, Tadej Pogačar clinched victory at the Giro dell’Emilia, a key warm-up event for next Saturday’s Il Lombardia, known as the Race of the Falling Leaves. In a signature move, the Slovenian rider launched a solo attack with 38 kilometres to go.
This Saturday, Pogačar will attempt to win Lombardia for the fourth year, which would cap off an incredible season for the Slovenian.
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