Tom Dumoulin was one of the best and most popular riders in the 2010’s and faced off against some of the mythical figures in modern cycling, but did not really have head-to-heads with Tadej Pogacar with both at their prime. Perhaps that was best for the Dutchman who believes he may be watching the greatest of all time, and does not have a problem with his dominance.
“I love watching him race. He’s perhaps the greatest cyclist of all time, and it’s special to see the best win almost every race,” Dumoulin said in an interview with Marca. “Of course, we’d like to see more battles to the finish, like in the 2017 Giro, when four riders fought for the win. But I admire his level and his mentality. I’m not bored watching him win, although I enjoy it when there’s excitement right up to the last day.”
It’s a different style of rider than anything seen in modern cycling, but also one who is very aggressive and popular with the fans, creating race situations that open up earlier than what they used to. Still making the comparison with the other riders who are termed the best in history is always hard.
“I’ve never seen Eddy Merckx race, so it’s difficult to compare eras. They were very different times,” the former Giro d’Italia and time trial World Champion said. However in a few years’ time, if the Slovenian continues to perform in the same way as he has these two seasons, then he may reach that status almost unanimously.
This is despite his rivalry with Jonas Vingegaard which already ‘took’ from him two Tour de France victories, which at this point would’ve had him become the record holder for Tour victories. “I think we’ll see that rivalry continue for several more seasons. It’s a clash that defines an era”.
Dumoulin on Juan AyusoWith the Spanish news outlet, Dumoulin talked about Juan Ayuso, with whom he agrees on the move to Lidl-Trek after spending several years in the overly-competitive environment of UAE Team Emirates – XRG.
“I understand that in UAE, with Pogacar as leader, it’s difficult to get opportunities. At Lidl, he’ll be able to go it alone, and I think that’s good for everyone.” And the Dutchman believes Ayuso is the real deal and a future Grand Tour winner: “Yes, absolutely. He has the talent and mentality to do so.”
“Spain will always have great cyclists, but it must be admitted that the overall level is lower than in the era of Contador, Valverde, or Purito (Joaquim Rodríguez, ed.)… In Induráin’s time, Spain led the world of cycling, and now it’s no longer in that position.”
Lastly Dumoulin was also asked about Chris Froome, who is set to retire this year after suffering another serious injury and having his contract with Israel – Premier Tech expire at the end of the season:
“If he enjoys competing, I’m happy for him,” he said. “I would have made a different decision, but he is who he is, and I respect him greatly. He’s a four-time Tour de France champion and deserves all my respect for continuing to do what he loves.”