Bernard Hinault backs ‘complete rider’ Tadej Pogacar for Tour de France glory

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UAE Team Emirates Slovenian rider Tadej Pogacar (right) fist bumping with Team Visma-Lease a Bikes Danish rider Jonas Vingegaard on June 8.

PHOTO: AFP

Yffiniac – With the Tour de France set to get under way in Lille on July 5, French cycling legend Bernard Hinault has thrown his voice firmly behind Tadej Pogacar, saying the Slovenian can go on to break his record for Tour victories.

Hinault is one of four riders, along with Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx and Miguel Indurain to have won the Tour five times but he believes Pogacar can close on that group by adding to his victories in 2020, 2021 and 2024.

“For me, yes, he is the favourite, unless he has a major breakdown but I don’t believe that at all,” the 70-year-old told AFP.

“When you see what he was able to do in the Dauphine, he was in control, he did what he wanted, when he wanted.

“Pogacar, when he sees that he has the chance to pull the trigger, he pulls the trigger – a bit like Eddy (Merckx).

“When he attacks, as he did at the world championships, with 100km to go, everyone says: ‘What a stupid thing to do’. At the end, he won. And that’s fabulous to see.”

The UAE Team Emirates rider started the season by taking