FRENCH CYCLING

You have to go all the way back to 1997 to find a French cyclist on the podium of the Tour de France (i.e. in the top 3) and that was Richard Virenque. The days in the 1970's and 1980's when the Tour was dominated by the likes of Thevenet, Hinault and Fignon are a distant memory. However, the French press are very excited at the moment, since there are currently four French riders in the top 10. And with the absence of Froome, Contador, and Schleck (all out after crashes), and Quintana and Evans (who targeted the Giro), expectations are high for French honours.

I don't share them. The high mountains start on Friday, and I fully expect the French riders to start going backwards shortly thereafter. Which in turn will prompt more French navel-gazing as to why they can no longer produce people who can propel a two-wheeled machine forward faster than others.

Walter Blotscher