Miguel Induráin: “The gold in Atlanta ’96 was the perfect ending to my career”

Former Spanish cyclist Miguel Induráin recognized that the gold medal in the time trial at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games was the “perfect ending” to his sporting career, and placed the Spanish among the “favorites” to win stages in the 2026 Tour de France despite the “high level” of participation in this edition that started from Barcelona.

“I went to Atlanta because it was a great opportunity, although in my sporting career it was not marked as the main objective. It was the first time I went as a professional and I won gold. It was the perfect ending to my sporting career and one of my last victories as a professional,” said Miguel Induráin in statements to Europa Press after participating in the tribute to the athletes of Atlanta’96 by the Spanish Olympic Committee (COE).

The former cyclist, who had already participated in Los Angeles’84 as an ‘amateur’, confessed that he did not prepare “much” for Atlanta’96 because of the “little time” he had after competing in the Tour de France. “In 15 days I had to decide if I would face the Games, especially the time trial. We went there with the material, the route was a little complicated, but we had to turn everything around mentally and physically to fight for victory,” he explained.

The Olympic champion was “pending” the information that they were giving him every lap in his race for gold. “I did my best on the last lap and was able to get that medal. It was a ‘relaxation’ after being concentrated with so much tension. When you cross the finish line and know that you are the winner, you feel the calm of having achieved the goal,” he added.

The five-time Tour de France champion said that in his sporting career the Atlanta ’96 gold occupies a prominent place, but that his first victory in the Tour is his favorite victory. “I also have Giros d’Italia, great races, but that gold is among one of my favorite victories,” Induráin said.

Regarding the Spanish participation in this Tour, Induráin sees the national runners “with enthusiasm.” “Due to the level of cycling and sport in general, it is very difficult to achieve victories, but they are also among the favorites. Let’s see if with the hope of leaving home they are mentally fresher and achieve some victories,” said the former Navarrese cyclist.

She also spoke of the “great moment” that Spanish women’s cycling is going through, especially the UAE cyclist Paula Blasi. “She is mentally at her best, achieving great victories and in the Vuelta a España everything turns out perfectly. She is a benchmark right now in women’s cycling,” he said.