THE FRENCH ADORE LE TOUR AGAIN
Bliss was it in the dawn of July 14 to be alive, but to be French was very heaven! On that Bastille Day morning, the day after Julian Alaphilippe and Thibaut Pinot jointly attacked all their rivals on the hilly stage into Saint-Étienne, there was possibly more optimism that there could be a French winner than at any point since 1989, when Laurent Fignon went into the final day’s time trial actually wearing yellow.
The French, of course, have never fallen out of love with the Tour, just as the British never fell out of love with Wimbledon, but the excitement built as the 2019 event made its way south and west across the country, with Alaphilippe sparkling in yellow and Pinot climbing in the Pyrenees with dazzling speed. Alaphilippe’s opening fortnight got some fans believing he could even win the race – he attacked, attacked and attacked, then pulled out one of the time trials of the year to put himself well ahead of his rivals. Pinot was aggressive, too and his stage win on the Tourmalet and attack the next day on Prat d’Albis made the French dream.
It wasn’t to be. The first real blow came in the crosswinds on the stage to Albi – Pinot conceded an unnecessary 100 seconds – instead of spending the Pyrenees building a lead, he was using his best form to just pull himself back into contention. Alaphilippe was found out on the longer climbs of the Alps. And then Pinot’s mystery leg injury – a freak torn muscle – put him out of the race in tears.
Thirty years of hurt will now be at least 31, but the French believe again. Perhaps in 2020 they’ll find their happiness, or not at all.