During the closing day of Lombardy 2025 , something happened that deeply affected the world of cycling. As Tadej Pogacar found himself once again at the center of controversy—accused of alleged unfair tactics and favoritism—an unexpected voice decided to speak out. It was none other than Joop Zoetemelk , the 78-year-old Dutch cycling legend, who broke his silence for the first time in years. In an interview that has since gone viral, he said in calm but powerful words: “Touching him is like touching me. If you criticize Tadej without evidence, you are damaging the soul of this sport.”
His words hit me like a bomb. Comments poured in on social media, from former fans and young riders alike, praising Zoetemelk’s courage. He wasn’t speaking as an analyst or commentator, but as someone who had personally experienced the pain of injustice. Throughout his career, he too had been accused several times of unfair practices, simply because he was too consistent, too calm, too “inhumanly reliable.” This experience made his defense of Pogacar all the more sincere.
Zoetemelk continued: “This is not a battleground for vulgarity or conspiracies. Cycling should be a fight of strength, will, and respect, not denigration.” His words brought silence to the press room—even the most cynical journalists remained silent. For many, it was as if a father figure in cycling was restoring the morale the sport had been in danger of losing in recent years.
In the stands, fans applauded when Pogačar, after hearing Zoetemelk’s statement, gave a small smile to the cameras. It was a rare moment of human vulnerability in a world that often speaks only of performance. Five minutes later, at the awards ceremony, he glanced over at Zoetemelk’s seat, a look full of gratitude and mutual respect.
According to sources close to the case, this wasn’t the first time the two men had been in contact. Zoetemelk had already written personally to Pogacar, with the message: “Stay true to yourself, even if the world doesn’t understand you.” Today, in the eye of the storm, those words resonated more strongly than ever.
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What made this scene so special wasn’t just a rider’s defense, but the reminder of what cycling truly means: to persevere, to fall, to get back up, and to treat each other with respect. Joop Zoetemelk proved once again why he is a legend, not only because of his victories, but also because of his humanity. And that day, amidst the din of critics and cameras, it felt for a moment as if the sport itself was breathing again.
