Question 1

True or false: Hinault was nicknamed 'The Badger' because he was known for his ferocious, stubborn fighting style.

Accepted Answer

True. The French word 'blaireau' (badger) fit his tenacity and willingness to attack relentlessly, even when injured.

Question 2

True or false: Hinault retired at age 28, citing boredom with professional cycling.

Accepted Answer

False. He retired in 1986 at age 31 after winning his fifth Tour, having stated he wanted to leave while still a champion.

Question 3

True or false: Hinault won the Tour de France five times, all before turning 30.

Accepted Answer

True. Hinault won his fifth Tour in 1985 at age 30, but his last win came just after his 30th birthday in July.

Question 4

True or false: Hinault is the only French rider to have won the Tour de France and the world road race title in the same year.

Accepted Answer

False. While Hinault did win both in 1980, Louison Bobet (1954) and others also achieved this double.

Question 5

True or false: Hinault won the Giro d’Italia three times, making him the most successful non-Italian rider in the race's history.

Accepted Answer

True. With three Giro wins (1980, 1982, 1985), Hinault shares the record for most wins by a non-Italian with Eddy Merckx.

Question 6

True or false: Hinault once raced the entire Tour de France with a flat tire on purpose to prove a point.

Accepted Answer

False. This myth likely stems from his tough-guy image, but no verified race exists where he rode with a flat tire for any extended distance.

Question 7

True or false: Hinault once finished a stage with a broken collarbone and still won the overall race.

Accepted Answer

False. He did ride with a broken nose and broken ribs in the 1980 Giro d'Italia, but not a broken collarbone during a Tour win.

Question 8

True or false: Bernard Hinault is the only rider to win all three Grand Tours and a monument in the same year.

Accepted Answer

True. In 1980, Hinault won the Giro, Tour, and Liège-Bastogne-Liège—a feat no other rider has matched in a single calendar year.

Bernard Hinault Trivia Questions