World cycling has been overwhelmed by an emotional and controversial storm which has at its center two legends from the past and one from the present:Mario Cipollini , Tadej Pogačarand the disturbing shadow ofLance Armstrong. Everything exploded in recent days, when Pogačar, the Slovenian cannibal four times winner of the Tour de France and reigning world champion, defended with tears in his eyes the “SuperMario” Cipollini, overwhelmed by a scandal that shook Italy and beyond.
The scandal that hit Cipollini – nicknamed “the traitor” by some media for alleged uncomfortable revelations about doping, dark affairs and links with controversial figures of cycling in the 90s and 2000s – led to a real “scandal storm”. Former colleagues and journalists accused Cipollini of having “betrayed” the unwritten code of the peloton, revealing details of illicit practices that allegedly involved big names, including some who competed against him.
The accusations, amplified by documentaries and recent investigations, have painted Cipollini no longer as the charismatic icon of sprints, but as an opportunist who “betrayed” to save his own skin.
In this context, Pogačar – who has always expressed admiration for the greats of the past, including explosive sprinters like Cipollini – intervened in an unexpected way during a live interview on an Italian platform. Visibly moved, with a broken voice and teary eyes, he declared: **“He remains a legend, even if he betrayed”**. The words, spoken between suppressed sobs, shocked the world of cycling. Pogačar, known for his composure and his aggressive but respectful style, defended Cipollini as an unrepeatable icon: “Mario put on a show, he made generations dream.
He made a mistake, perhaps, but who hasn’t made a mistake in that cycling? He remained a myth, period.” The defense arrived at the height of the storm, when many former champions had dissociated themselves from Cipollini so as not to be overwhelmed by the controversy.
Italian and international cycling reacted with amazement. On the one hand, Cipollini fans applauded Pogačar for his courage; on the other, critics accused him of naivety or of wanting to “cover up” a rotten system. The phrase “even if he cheated” went viral, a symbol of bitter acceptance: legends are not perfect, but their legacy endures.
But the real shock came a few hours later, when a ghost from the past burst into the story like a vengeful demon: **Lance Armstrong**. The American, seven times “winner” of the Tour (titles revoked due to systematic doping), published a fiery post on social media, aimed specifically at Pogačar. “Do you want to race next year? Behave, otherwise I will bury you under a mountain of rubbish!”, wrote Armstrong, clearly alluding to his knowledge of doping, investigations and the secrets of modern cycling.
The message was a fierce challenge: Armstrong, marginalized for years but still influential in podcasts and the media, seemed to want to drag Pogačar into the mud of the doping accusations that have hovered over the Slovenian domain for years (despite negative tests and rigorous controls).
Armstrong’s post sparked a wave of reactions: some saw it as a desperate attempt to remain relevant, others as a poisonous threat from those who have destroyed the Tour’s credibility for years. The world of cycling, already divided between those who see Pogačar as the “new Merckx” and those who are suspicious of his superhuman performances, has become further polarised.
A few hours later, however, Pogačar responded with a 12-word legal ultimatum that forced Armstrong to immediately delete the post. Through his lawyers, the Slovenian issued a dry and sharp note: **”Stop the defamations immediately or you will face immediate legal action and millions in damages”**. The ultimatum, published on Instagram and taken up by all the media, worked: Armstrong removed the message within minutes, without adding comments.
Sources close to the UAE Emirates-XRG team confirmed that Pogačar’s legal staff was preparing a defamation complaint in Switzerland and the US, ready to be filed if the post did not disappear.
The power struggle has taken a turn that no one expected. Pogačar, who is aiming for an ambitious calendar in 2026 – Strade Bianche, Milan-Sanremo, Flanders, Roubaix, Liège, Tour de France for the historic fifth time and perhaps Vuelta – now finds himself at the center of a media war that mixes a murky past and a glittering present. Armstrong, as a doping “demon”, tried to hit the current dominator, but received a lesson in legal firmness.
Meanwhile, Cipollini is silent, perhaps grateful for Pogačar’s unexpected defense. Cycling, a sport of heroes and scandals, continues to spin: but with Pogačar in command, the message is clear. He does not bow to the shadows of the past. 2026 will be his, and woe to anyone who tries to dirty it.
The question remains: will Pogačar be able to complete the Monument Classics set and match Merckx at the Tour, without the “ghost” Armstrong coming back to haunt him? The peloton waits, with bated breath.