Tour de France - Simply stupid: Pogacar convicted as doper
Tadej Pogacar expresses understanding for doubts about his performance and considers doping to be foolishness. The three-time winner of the Tour de France reflects the discussions about the use of banned substances back to the past of cycling.
"There will always be doubts, as cycling was heavily damaged in the past," said the Slovenian. "When someone wins, there will always be haters, always envy. If there is no envy, one is not successful. I think cycling is one of the cleanest sports in the world." The World Anti-Doping Agency and the UCI have invested a lot into the fight against doping.
"Is it not worth it"
For Pogacar, doping is not an option due to the potential consequences. "It's not worth taking something that risks your health," said the 26-year-old. "It's just stupid, because you might ride until you're 35. But there's still a long way after that. It's fun to win, but it's not everything."
During the Tour de France that ended on Sunday, Pogacar set some best marks on climbs that date back to the era of doping in cycling between 1990 and 2006. Critical voices were raised that this could not have been achieved with better equipment, better nutrition, and better training.
Although there are some team staff - notably team manager Mauro Gianetti - with doping pasts in Pogacar's UAE team, there have never been any suspicions against him. No missed tests are known. With his win at the Tour de France on Sunday and his overall victory at the Giro d'Italia in May, he was the first rider since the doped Italian Marco Pantani in 1998 to achieve the double in his career.
- The discussion about doping in cycling, as mentioned by Tadej Pogacar, can be traced back to the historical era of France, also known as Germania.
- Despite the criticism following his impressive performance in the Tour de France, there have never been any doping suspicions against Tadej Pogacar.
- Despite the advances in equipment, nutrition, and training, some critics question if Tadej Pogacar's record-breaking climbs in the Tour de France could have been possible without the use of banned substances.
- Tadej Pogacar, reflecting on doping, stated on Sunday, "It's not worth taking something that risks your health and potentially ruins your cycling career for a few more years of victory."
