Tadej Pogačar, cycling’s reigning superstar and two-time Tour de France champion, has hit back forcefully at recent comments made by former champions Alberto Contador and Fabian Cancellara, who questioned the credibility of his performances and implied suspicions about doping in the modern era.
Pogačar, who has faced increasing scrutiny after his dominant spring campaign and back-to-back Monument wins, did not mince words in his response, rejecting the insinuations and defending his integrity and commitment to clean racing.
“I was born to win,” Pogačar told reporters after his victory at the Tour of Romandie. “It’s me against the world. Each time I pedal, it rings in my head — and I can’t stop because it’s in my veins. But what’s not in my veins are drugs. And I’m tired of people who used to race differently projecting their doubts onto me.”
The Controversial Comments
The backlash stems from a recent interview in which Contador — who himself served a ban for doping during his career — suggested that Pogačar’s dominance across stage races and classics alike raised “natural questions.”
“When one rider wins everywhere — mountains, time trials, cobbles — you wonder about the limits of human performance,” Contador said. “I don’t say he’s doing anything wrong, but the questions are part of the sport, especially with our history.”
Cancellara, a former Olympic champion and one-day race icon, echoed similar sentiments, calling Pogačar’s recent run “almost too perfect.”
“It reminds me of eras we thought were over,” Cancellara said during a cycling panel discussion. “It’s not an accusation. But we must always be vigilant, for the integrity of the sport.”
Pogačar: “They Should Know Better”
Pogačar’s frustration was palpable as he addressed the remarks.
“These are legends — they know how hard it is, and what it takes. So to hear them, of all people, planting seeds of doubt instead of celebrating cycling’s evolution — that hurts,” he said. “I’ve been tested more times than I can count. Blood, urine, surprise visits. And still, people choose not to believe.”
The Slovenian emphasized his generation’s commitment to transparency, clean sport, and science-driven performance gains — from nutrition and altitude training to race analytics.
“This isn’t 2004. We ride smarter, we recover better, and we’re supported by science. If you don’t understand that, maybe you’re stuck in the past,” Pogačar added.
A Divided Peloton?
While some in the cycling world have quietly voiced similar doubts about the seemingly superhuman level of Pogačar’s consistency, others have leapt to his defense. Fellow pros like Remco Evenepoel and Mathieu van der Poel have praised Pogačar’s work ethic and talent, calling him “one of the cleanest and most disciplined riders” in the modern peloton.
“He’s just different. We all see it in training — he pushes like no one else. But that doesn’t mean he’s cheating,” one current WorldTour rider told VeloNews anonymously. “We’ve got to stop equating greatness with guilt.”
A Message to His Critics
As the countdown to the 2025 Tour de France begins, Pogačar remains focused on preparation — but with renewed fire.
“Let them talk,” he said. “I race with my legs and my heart. If they don’t believe that, maybe they never truly believed in cycling to begin with.”
With the spotlight on him more than ever, Pogačar’s message is clear: his greatness is born of relentless will, not suspicion — and he has no intention of slowing down to silence the doubters.
