'It takes one to know one' – Vaughters sees no red flags in Mark Padun

Vaughters Padun
Vaughters has signed Padun for 2022 (Image credit: Getty Images)

When Mark Padun produced a breakthrough performance this summer in the Critérium du Dauphiné, taking back-to-back wins in the mountains, there were some very different reactions.

At the one extreme, there was simple admiration for a young climber showing a remarkable degree of versatility in winning two very different kinds of stages, not to mention having the strength to drop some of the world’s more established top riders so close to the Tour de France.

Alasdair Fotheringham

Alasdair Fotheringham has been reporting on cycling since 1991. He has covered every Tour de France since 1992 bar one, as well as numerous other bike races of all shapes and sizes, ranging from the Olympic Games in 2008 to the now sadly defunct Subida a Urkiola hill climb in Spain. As well as working for Cyclingnews, he has also written for The IndependentThe GuardianProCycling, The Express and Reuters.