France questions superhuman performance of Pogacar and Vingegaard: "They cycled in anonymity in the junior category"

The superhumans of today, the heroes on bikes: we’re dealing with a unique generation of riders. Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard defy the laws of cycling, stirring a fair amount of suspicion. In France, significant questions are being raised about the achievements of these two.

Radio France has questioned the dominance of Pogacar and Vingegaard, investigating the ‘how’ and ‘why’ behind their exceptional strength. An anonymous French doctor, who worked for a WorldTour team for several years, has his own theories. He examined the breathing of cyclists during races. “If the mouth is closed, it means oxygen intake is perfect. I watched Pogacar in the Giro, and it took away my desire to watch cycling. In the final few hundred meters, he displayed a freshness incompatible with the energy exerted.”

Many attribute the advancements in cycling performance to technical improvements as the driving force behind this leap forward. However, Emmanuel Brunet, performance manager at the French Cycling Federation, argues that most teams have access to the same equipment. “If there is a difference, it might come from genetics,” he suggests. Yet, he believes that genetic differences alone cannot explain the vast gap between them and their competition.

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"Pogacar didn't crush competition like he does now"

“What makes us skeptical is that we didn’t notice these genetic differences when they were racing in the junior and U23 categories. Pogacar didn’t crush the competition like he does now,” said the performance manager. The same was true for Vingegaard in his younger racing days, where, according to the Frenchman, he “rode in relative anonymity among the juniors.” Recently, Tour director Christian Prudhomme stated that the doping rumors surrounding Pogacar are “not unfounded.”

In addition to the doubts, there’s also support coming from France. Alexys Brunel, who rode for UAE Team Emirates, experienced firsthand the potential of Pogacar’s team’s methods. “I’d question myself if I didn’t make progress there. Thanks to their training techniques, I produced 50 more watts over 25 minutes and 25 more over 20 minutes!” The Frenchman trained less at the WorldTour team but still saw improvement. “There was much more intensity, and the sessions were longer. At UAE, nothing is left to chance, so Tadej’s performances no longer surprise me.”