At the microphone of Charles Villeneuve, on Europe 1, Nicolas Sarkozy ensures that the various doping scandals which have marked the topicality of the discipline have not altered his passion for cycling.
"It's a reality of this sport, but I find that sometimes cyclists are asked for more transparency than in any other sport," he said.
INTERVIEW
Undoubtedly more than any other sport, professional cycling remains tainted by the various doping scandals which have animated the news in recent decades, between the Festina affair, the disqualification of Floyd Landis in 2006, and of course the resounding confession of Lance Armstrong, stripped of his seven Tours de France.
But all these cases have not reduced the popularity of the Grande Boucle, nor altered Nicolas Sarkozy's passion for cycling.
Invited on Sunday of the first number of the
Great Interviews of Europe 1
, the former President of the Republic explains why he continues to admire the runners, refusing to enter "the era of suspicion".
The various scandals have altered the popularity of cycling "for those who don't like cycling, but not for those, like me, who love it", he assures us.
"One of the most controlled sports in the world"
Of course, adds Nicolas Sarkozy immediately, doping "requires an unrelenting fight against him".
But, he recalls, "it has existed in cycling as in other sports. But cycling is arguably one of the most controlled sports in the world."
"It is a reality of this sport, but I find that sometimes, we ask cyclists more transparency than in any other sport," said the former President of the Republic.
"The suffering these people endure is respectable"
But how can we explain that cycling, and particularly the Tour de France, remains so popular in France and around the world? "People see the truth of the suffering", thinks Nicolas Sarkozy, who prefers to retain the self-sacrifice and the sense of effort of the runners, including those caught up by the patrol. "Of course, when we talked about Pantani, you'd think he was doping himself. Of course there was the Armstrong cases ... But still, the suffering these people endure is respectable." And to reconsider his admiration for Lance Armstrong and his return to the highest level after his testicular cancer. "When he came back from hell, that is to say from his cancer, it absolutely blew me away," he recalls.
Today, Nicolas Sarkozy deplores the general suspicion that often accompanies great performances. The ultra domination of Tadej Pogacar on the 2021 Tour did not fail to raise doubts among some observers. "We have largely entered the era of suspicion, hatred, denunciation, where wonder and benevolence are values that are disappearing," annoys the former tenant of the Elysee.