Just a few days before the start of the 2024 World Championshipsheld in Zurich, Switzerland, Cycling’Actu shared a moment with Bernard Hinault. Contacted by telephone, the Breton took his time to comment on the latest cycling news and give his vision of things on certain subjects. The phenomenon Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) – which is more than well on its way to becoming, like him or even Eddy Merckxa legend of the sport – was of course mentioned, as was the early end of the season of Jonas Vingegaardas well as this 40th anniversary that we will celebrate in the summer of 2025 and which French cycling would certainly have done well without, namely that of the last victory of a Tricolore in the general classification of the Tour de France. Already 40 years, and unfortunately, we still do not see who could put an end to this interminable famine and thus succeed a certain… Bernard Hinault.
Video – Bernard Hinault… interview with Cyclism’Actu!
“Tadej Pogacar, I saw him arrive on the Tour de l’Avenir when he won it”
Getting back into watching bike races thanks to the actors who have come on stage in recent years – “The arrival of new riders has breathed new life into cycling. Riders like Tadej Pogacar, Remco Evenepoel and Julian Alaphilippe, even if he is not as efficient as before, it is always nice to see”he said – Bernard Hinault has a soft spot for the best of them, which he first discovered in 2018.
“Tadej Pogacar, I saw him arrive on the Tour de l’Avenir when he won it”remembers the Badger. “Since then, he has continued to confirm everything he knows how to do. He is in great shape this season, and he is also preparing very well for his goals. After the Tour, he did not go to the Olympic Games because he has one idea in mind: to be world champion in Zurich.” If he were to win the rainbow jersey, the Slovenian – who has just impressively won the Montreal Cycling Grand Prix – would be the third man, after Eddy Merckx in 1974 and Stephen Roche in 1987, winning the same year the Tour of ItalyTHE Tour de France and the online race of World Championships. And according to Bernard Hinaultthere is a very strong chance that we will relive this historic triple.
“Is it boring to see Pogacar always winning? No […] “It makes us dream”
“The course being difficult, he will be able to express himself and he will not have too much difficulty in becoming world champion”prophesies the 69-year-old from Costarmorican, before warning the world number one. “Afterwards, there is still competition, we must not forget that. He will have very good riders facing him and he risks, in addition, having the sign on his back, which means that everyone will run on him. How would Bernard Hinault proceed if he had everyone on his back? I do not ask myself any questions and I attack.”
Faced with the great superiority shown since the start of the 2024 season by Tadej Pogacarone might wonder if this is not a bad thing for cycling, since the outcome of the races in which he competes is almost known in advance. Asked about this, Bernard Hinault was made very clear. “Is it off-putting to see Pogacar always winning? No. A rider is there first and foremost to please himself, not to please others. Such talent and such domination make us dream. If we ask Eddy Merckx, he will surely say the same thing. We like fighters, and he is one of them.”
“Julian Alaphilippe is back at the highest level, and he deserves it”
Another runner who delights the Yffiniac native is Julian Alaphilippe (Soudal Quick-Step) ! “Julian makes me very happy. He is back at the highest level, and he deserves it. He is someone who works hard, and he is rewarded for it. He does not have the physical means of Pogacar, but when he has the opportunity, he does not ask himself questions and he goes for it.”he explains, before commenting on the next change of team for the former double world champion, who has signed with Tudor Pro Cycling Team. “Is it a good decision? It’s his decision, not mine. I don’t know what was going on in his old team, so it’s difficult to judge.”
“Pogacar or Evenepoel are 1000 cm3 while we only have 750 in France”
In 2019, with these 14 days in yellow, Julian Alaphilippe had long spread the hope of finally seeing a Frenchman regain the Tour de France. In the end, it didn’t happen, and we’re still waiting for a successor to Bernard Hinaultwinner of his fifth Round in 1985. Next year, we will celebrate the 40th anniversary of the last French final victory over the Great Loopmuch to the dismay of the Breton. “A Frenchman winning the Tour? We have nothing for now… but we must always hope”he breathes.
“Even though we are a great cycling country, if we don’t have the super champion who dominates like Tadej Pogacar, we are there but nothing more. When we have found a Tadej Pogacar or a Remco Evenepoel, who are 1,000 cm3 while we only have 750 in France, then maybe we will have found my successor in the Tour’s list of winners. If we don’t have the big engine, we can’t fight. Personally, I am a little sorry not to have had a successor for 40 years. We have already had French riders who were very good among the youngsters, but we have not really seen them then among the professionals, and that is what is a shame. Some foreigners manage to confirm, them.”
“If you love cycling, you love racing and you love winning”
Finally, we asked Bernard Hinault his ranking of the fantastic four – “With everything he has won since the start of the season, I put Tadej Pogacar first. Then I put Remco Evenepoel, Jonas Vingegaard and finally Primoz Roglic” – and what he thought of the decision of Jonas Vingegaard to end his season very early. “He’s not the first to do this. In the past, many riders who have performed well on the Tour have said to themselves: ‘life is beautiful, why should I continue to fight’. We can wonder if they like cycling because if we like cycling, we like racing and we like winning. Vingegaard gives the impression of loving racing less than a Pogacar or an Evenepoel.”concludes Bernard Hinault.
