He does not have the punch of a Julian Alaphilippe, the top speed of an Arnaud Démare or the ability of a Romain Bardet to swallow the passes. But at 27, Anthony Turgis (TotalEnergies) is gaining more and more space in the peloton month after month. He appears this year as an outsider, to put it mildly, on the Tour of Flanders, contested on Sunday April 3.
On the cobblestones of the Belgian race, he will seek to raise his arms for himself, his team and his whole family. Because among the Turgis, the bike is an institution. “I probably started doing it when I was 5 years old”, Anthony recalls. Like his big brother Jimmy, he was quickly destined for a career in the platoons, soon to be imitated by the third and last of the siblings, Tanguy.
But as the dream of riding handlebar to handlebar in the biggest races begins to come true for the three brothers, the fairy tale turns into a nightmare. In September 2018, Tanguy was forced to suddenly end his career, at the age of 20, due to heart disease. The same genetic problem was diagnosed in Jimmy in February 2020, at the age of 28, and forced him, too, to put his bike away definitively… and his dreams of success.
Second on Milan-San Remo
Last Turgis of the peloton, Anthony now pedals for three. “I know that deep down he is very unhappy with the situation, but he is too much in love with the bike to be sorry”, describes it Jean-René Bernaudeau, general manager at TotalEnergies. His rider, he is aware of the expectations of his brothers. “When I ride I don’t necessarily think about it. But as soon as the race is over I can clearly see their eyes, that they would have loved to be able to continue and have the level that I have today… That’s also what pushes me to surpass myself. »
Surpass yourself, without trying to put yourself forward at all costs. Whether at Cofidis from 2015 to 2018, or in his current team since 2019, he does not burn the stages, he who also prefers one-day races. “He is a fairly discreet, very humble person”, confirms Jean-René Bernaudeau. His results speak for themselves. Second in A Travers la Flandre in 2019, he came close to the podium in the last two editions of the Tour of Flanders (4and in 2020, 8and in 2021).
Above all, he has just grabbed a second place in Milan-San Remo, one of the “monuments” of the calendar – the most prestigious one-day events – a category which also includes the Tour of Flanders. Only beaten by the Slovenian Matej Mohoric (Bahrain Victorious), Turgis let his frustration explode as he crossed the line, disappointed to have come close to the big blow. “I was able to see the victory very closely, that’s why I had regrets. But it didn’t last long, I was especially super happy with the result,” he tempers.
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Accustomed to playing in front, Anthony Turgis paradoxically earns very little, even if he had signed his arrival in his team (at the time called Direct Energie) with a victory in his first race, in the Grand Prix “La Marseillaise”. For Jean-René Bernaudeau, places of honor are no longer enough. “With his level, he can aim higher. He has already had good results, especially in Flanders. Today, I think he is ready to risk a good ranking to go for it and win. All he needs is the big win. »
The sense of detail
“We always try to get results for the team,” Turgis replies modestly. Still, his training has taken on a new dimension this season, with in particular the arrival of Peter Sagan, triple world champion (2015, 2016 and 2017). Enough to give collective ambition, even if the Slovak, out of form, will be absent on Sunday. “Having such a strong group behind you is important, recalls Jean-René Bernaudeau. For a runner like Anthony, it brings tranquility. He knows that in the event of a hard blow, the team will be there. »
An observation that applies particularly to races like the Tour of Flanders. If she is not qualified as” hell “ like its French cousin Paris-Roubaix, its 272 kilometers and seven cobbled sections are very similar. Last Frenchman to have finished on the podium of the “Round of Vlaanderen”Sylvain Chavanel (second in 2011), knows the difficulties of the event well, and knows that a good team is never too much.
“You have to be well surrounded by your teammates at all costs. It is a race which is done in placement, in wear, sums up the former Cofidis and Quickstep runner. Afterwards, obviously, you have to be on the right day and be lucky enough not to die at the wrong times…”
As far as the legs are concerned, Turgis’ latest outings tend to reassure him about his physical condition. As for luck, he does everything to turn it in his favor. “In addition to having composure, calm and an exceptional reading of the race, Anthony is a runner who pays attention to every detail, Bernaudeau point. He wants to know what all the grams on his bike bring him! »
Enough Sunday to beat defending champion Kasper Asgreen (QuickStep) or the two announced favorites Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Fenix) and Tadej Pogacar (UAE Emirates)? The race will tell. But for Anthony Turgis, it’s the perfect time to give up the places of honor, as confirmed by Sylvain Chavanel: “On this kind of race, we only remember the winner! »