The Frenchman criticised the fact that doping scandals are accidentally published shortly before the Tour or that former cheaters bring books about their doping past onto the market. "But instead of talking about it, we should rather make these people give back the money they stole through doping," Hinault told the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.
Cycling today is "the most controlled sport" and is heading in the right direction, emphasised the 64-year-old. Hinault sees the anti-doping fight at the top of the sport as more of a problem. He also mentioned the World Anti-Doping Agency: "Firstly, WADA should be independent. When you see how widespread doping is in other sports, in Russia ..."
Hinault, who won the Tour five times between 1978 and 1985 and is still the last French winner of the race to date, emphasised that he never had anything to do with doping during his active career. He does not currently see a successor because there is no French rider who is strong in the mountains and in the time trial. "We and the Germans simply don't have an exceptional rider at the moment who can do both," said Hinault.
