Legend Hinault backs 'complete rider' Pogacar for Tour de France glory

With the Tour de France set to get underway in Lille on Saturday, French cycling legend Bernard Hinault has thrown his voice firmly behind UAE Team Emirates-XRG's Tadej Pogacar, saying the Slovenian can go on to break his record for Tour victories.

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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," Hinault said.

"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 100 kilometres to go, everyone says: 'what a stupid thing to do'. At the end, he won. And that's fabulous to see."

The Team UAE rider started the season by taking his 'home' UAE Tour, then won four one-day races, including Liege-Bastogne Liege, finishing on the podium in three others.

He ended his Tour preparation with a brilliantly controlled performance in the eight-day Criterium du Dauphine when he beat Jonas Vingegaard - his main rival for the Tour and himself looking for a third title - by 59 seconds.