‘Seixas is the next Hinault’ - LeMond sees Tour winner in French talent and compares Pogacar to Merckx

Forty years after their famous battle for the 1986 Tour de France, Greg LeMond and Bernard Hinault were reunited in France over the weekend. The two former teammates, whose rivalry made headlines throughout that Tour, have long since put their differences behind them. 

During the visit, LeMond looked back on their rivalry and shared his thoughts on the current generation of riders.

Speaking to French newspaper Ouest-France, the 65-year-old American had plenty of praise for Paul Seixas, comparing the young Frenchman to his former teammate and rival.

"Seixas is the next Hinault," LeMond said. "If he keeps his head in the right place, he has the talent to win the Tour."

France has been waiting for another home winner of the Tour de France since Hinault claimed his fifth title in 1985. LeMond believes Seixas has the talent to end that wait and even puts him on a similar level to Tadej Pogačar at the same age.

"Pogačar was good at 19, and Paul is just as good as him at the same age," he said.

LeMond's admiration extends to the rider currently setting the standard in professional cycling. Asked about Pogačar, who claimed his fifth Tour de France title in July, the American needed few words to explain where he places the Slovenian among the sport's greats.

"He's Merckx. We thought there would only ever be one Merckx, but apparently not. I don't know how I would have competed against him."

It is not the first time LeMond has spoken so highly of Pogačar. Following this year's Tour, he told L'Équipe that the Slovenian could win at least seven editions of the race, potentially moving beyond the five victories officially shared by Eddy Merckx, Hinault, Jacques Anquetil, Miguel Induráin and now Pogačar himself.

At the time, LeMond also made headlines for his refusal to compare Pogačar's achievements with those of Lance Armstrong, whose seven consecutive Tour victories between 1999 and 2005 were subsequently stripped because of doping.

"Lance didn't have his talent. He 'found' it at 28," LeMond said in July.

LeMond believes Pogačar's talent was obvious from an early age, something he feels sets the Slovenian apart from Armstrong. He made a similar point about Seixas in his interview with Ouest-France.

"I had questions years ago, Armstrong and all that. There were always doubts, about motors and so on. But young talents are different," he said.

"These guys win Tours by ten minutes. Hinault was like that."

For LeMond, Seixas has already shown enough to suggest he could follow in Hinault's footsteps and become France's next Tour de France winner.

LeMond also looked back on his rivalry with Bernard Hinault during the 1986 Tour de France. The two La Vie Claire teammates famously clashed after Hinault, who had promised to support LeMond, repeatedly attacked him during the race. LeMond eventually won his first Tour, but the relationship between the two was strained.

"Physically, I think it was my best Tour. I won against a very strong Hinault. We were like brothers. We fought, that's true, but it doesn't change anything today because Hinault was an exceptional leader."

Forty years later, LeMond holds no grudges. "There was tension, and it was difficult. But he's a good guy, and I still respect him. We raced against each other on the bike, but once the racing was over, that was it."

LeMond also opened up about his battle with leukemia, which was diagnosed in 2022. The three time Tour winner admitted his health has not always been good in recent months.

"I'm 65 and I had leukemia four years ago. I'm taking medication, and the results aren't always excellent, but I'm doing okay. I'm not 25 anymore," he said.

At one stage, LeMond feared he would not survive. "I thought I was going to die. I was exhausted, and when I was diagnosed, I almost accepted it."

The American believes his illness was caused by lead fragments left in his body after a hunting accident in 1987, although a medical link has not been established. He still has six months of treatment ahead of him, but says his doctor expects him to make a full recovery.