AFP has revealed that Bernard Hinault has said that if he passed Lance Armstrong today, he would not talk to him as the American, who doped to win seven Tour de France titles, has ‘become a stain on glorious cycling memories”.

The last Frenchman to win Le Tour says that Armstrong has given cycling a bad reputation and has had the sport unfairly put under the spotlight.

“They should look at all sports,” he told AFP. “Cycling is no more rotten than the others. People are always picking on cycling.”

“If I met [Armstrong] today I would not talk to him. I would not even say hello.”

Hinault has said that the sport has given him a dream life, one he wouldn’t change at all. He retired at 32 to work with the ASO in a public relations role and this means he didn’t try to go for an unprecedented sixth Tour title. 

“If tomorrow, you asked me ‘you are 20 you start again’, I would restart the same life,” he said. “I have a dream life, I wish everyone could have a life like me,” he continued.

“Would I have been happier if I had done two years more. I could have won the Tour again. But I don’t have a single regret.”