Tour de France: Tadej Pogacar refuses to engage with Lance Armstrong

Tadej Pogacar, the dominant leader in the current Tour de France, has downplayed any focus on breaking records, including the controversial seven victories held by Lance Armstrong. Pogacar, who is well-positioned to secure his fifth Tour de France title, stated his primary objective is to finish the race in the yellow jersey in Paris.

"I don't know what to say. I don't race for records," Pogacar explained after the 13th stage. "I just want to finish the Tour de France with the yellow jersey in Paris. That is my goal."

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I don't know what to say. I don't race for records. I just want to finish the Tour de France with the yellow jersey in Paris. That is my goal.

His comments come in response to remarks made by Lance Armstrong. The American, who was stripped of his seven Tour de France titles due to doping violations, recently asserted that Pogacar is aware of the "real record" and suggested the Slovenian cyclist should not take a year off. Armstrong believes Pogacar will surpass his own tainted legacy, stating in his podcast, "TheMove," that Pogacar "knows what the real record is, so he's not going to take a year off. And I hope he keeps going, because records are made to be broken."

Should Pogacar win this year's Tour, it would bring him to five victories, equaling the record held by cycling legends Bernard Hinault, Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, and Miguel Indurain. However, Pogacar's clear statement indicates his personal ambition lies in the immediate challenge of the race rather than engaging in debates over historical records, especially those tainted by scandal.

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Pogacar will win his fifth Tour de France and we will hear at the end that he has equaled the record for victories. Well guess what, he doesn't believe it at all. He knows what the real record is, so he's not going to take a year off. And I hope he keeps going, because records are made to be broken.