More Tour frustration for France
PARIS — “Now or Never.”
That was the headline running across the front page of France’s biggest-selling sports newspaper L’equipe three weeks ago, amid nationwide hopes that a homegrown rider could finally win the Tour de France.
In the absence of many big names — including four-time champion Chris Froome — France’s top contenders Thibaut Pinot and Romain Bardet were expected to make the most of this year’s climbheavy route, and even finally end the 34-year drought.
Three weeks later, neither Pinot nor Bardet stood on the Tour podium and the wait for a French winner continues.
The future of French cycling looks bright, though, and a successor to Bernard Hinault — the last Frenchman to win cycling’s marquee race back in 1985 — is likely to emerge sooner than later.
Although Bardet, twice a podium finisher, was never an overall threat and had to be content with the polka dot jersey for best climber, Pinot was magnificent until a left leg injury reduced him to tears on the side of an Alpine climb, and forced him out of the race within touching distance of the Champs Elysees.
With Bardet nowhere to be seen, another Frenchman, Julian Alaphilippe, surged to the fore, gaining pop-idol status in the space of just three weeks. And five French riders finished in the top 15 for the first time since 2011.
A classics specialist, Alaphilippe exceeded all expectations, wearing the yellow jersey for 14 days after playing havoc with traditional race strategies. Despite his pedigree in one-day races, Alaphilippe was not among the pre-tour favorites, and many spectators had hardly heard of him when the race started.
But he took the Tour lead by storm during the first week of racing with a bold attack. After losing the yellow jersey, he reclaimed it and fought to stay in yellow with a living-the-moment humble attitude that excited fans and impressed his rivals.
“It’s incredible how he stepped up and improved,” said 2018 Tour champion Geraint Thomas, who finished runnerup this year behind his Ineos teammate Egan Bernal. “A big, big well done to him. He fought until the very end. He deserved to be on that podium.”