Gauthier Delomez / AFP Photos
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08:22, July 01, 2023
They will be the darlings on the roads of France. French riders are preparing to start the most anticipated cycling event of the year, the Tour de France, this Saturday July 1 from Bilbao in Spain. Cycling enthusiasts are just waiting for the triumph of one of their compatriots, even if the fight for the general classification seems to be the business of Dane Jonas Vingegaard and Slovenian Tadej Pogacar, the two big favorites of the Grande Boucle.
In any case, there are a few of them who can wear the tricolor colors high, according to Richard Virenque, a former French rider, who has worn the polka dot jersey for the best climber seven times and consultant in Europe 1 for the Tour de France.
Julian Alaphilippe, back after a missed 2022 edition
First and foremost, Julian Alaphilippe (Soudal Quik-Step), a name well known to fans of the Grande Boucle and who will be making his comeback after a missed 2022 edition. “Last year, he did not participate in the Tour with his world champion jersey. I think he is looking forward to arriving on this Tour”, agrees the one who has won seven stages in his career. He hopes that Julian Alaphilippe “will have the legs to be able to express himself. With him, we can expect stage victories”, predicts Richard Virenque. Anyone who has already worn the yellow jersey 18 times will aim for the first stage, for example, which he already “adores”.
David Gaudu, author of a “great start to the season”
The Europe 1 consultant also highlights David Gaudu (Groupama-FDJ), 4th in the last edition of the Tour and who wants to “aim for the top 3” this summer. He is the author of a “great start to the season”, according to Richard Virenque. “He is a runner who does not stop improving. For the general classification, we will have to count on him”, he affirms, despite a poor performance by the 26-year-old climber during the last Dauphiné, there is three weeks. A counter-performance which does not “really” call into question his chances. “At the French championships (last weekend), he reassured me. I think the atmosphere of the Tour will transcend him”, supports the ex-rider, stressing that his team can “shine on the Tour” with in particular in its rows Valentin Madouas, the new champion of France.
Thibaut Pinot ready to thrill the French one last time
If there is a French rider who will be particularly scrutinized this year, it is Thibaut Pinot. This other climber from the Groupama-FDJ team has thrilled French fans since his first Tour de France in 2012, and will be competing in his tenth and final Grande Boucle this summer at the age of 33. “He is able to get out of very beautiful mountain stages, as he did in the Tour of Italy this year”, relates Richard Virenque. “If it’s his last Tour, he may be relaxed because he doesn’t like the pressure too much. And I think he’s in good shape because we also saw him at the French championships being at the forefront”, underlines the consultant, also noting that he could take advantage of this very mountainous Tour, with eight stages in the summits.
Bardet, Martin, Laporte… These other runners to follow closely
On the French side too, Romain Bardet (DSM) can do well, according to the former tricolor rider. “He enjoys the Tour, he has done great things including podiums (2nd in 2016, 3rd in 2017) and a polka dot jersey (2019). This Tour is very mountainous, so you will have to count on him in the general classification”, advances Richard Virenque, evoking “a safe bet in French cycling”.
Other tricolor riders will be particularly followed by the Europe 1 consultant, like Guillaume Martin (Cofidis), also a sure bet in French cycling and “always around the top ten in the general classification. He is there , patient, to be able to try to win a stage”. Finally, the former tricolor climber places his hopes in Christophe Laporte (Jumbo-Visma), the only Frenchman who had gleaned a stage last year. “This year, he has made a good start to the season and he has grown in the Jumbo team which is also coming to win the Tour. He can hope why not win a stage, and put himself at the service of Vingegaard for the yellow jersey.”
All French riders will hope to shine on the roads of France this summer, and to perpetuate a statistic in progress since 2000: during each edition, at least one French cyclist has always won on one of the stages of the Grande Boucle.