CHRISTIAN PRUDHOMME

THE MAN WHO MAKES THE TOUR

When Tour de France director Jean-Marie Leblanc retired in 2005, 40-year- old replacement Christian Prudhomme stepped straight into problems. Back then ASO was at loggerheads with the UCI and his first Tour was decapitated when “winner” Floyd Landis was found to have doped. The following year, Michael Rasmussen’s expulsion exposed the true extent of cycling’s doping culture.

That Prudhomme survived is testament to his excellence as both figurehead and administrator. That the event thrives underscores his brilliance as both a diplomat and a salesman. He’s likeable and unflappable – an easy man to do business with. More significantly, he understands the value of the Tour. Right man, right place, right time…