French cycling

[TANK91]

Can anyone explain why they have been so dissapointing over the years?. I have alot of hope with Pinot, Bardet and maybe Barguill being good GC riders, but why have they struggled for so long, especially GC?. They have some good sprinters now and Gaudin is not bad for the cobbles. I would love to see a french TDF winnner again. Hopefully Sir Dave Brailsford gets Pinot and gives him some marginal gains i think he could dominate. Rememeber he wants to win the Tour with a French rider.

 

[BeagRigh]

Might as well just move this to the clinic now!

 

[lemon cheese cake]

Can anyone explain why they have been so dissapointing over the years?. I have alot of hope with Pinot, Bardet and maybe Barguill being good GC riders, but why have they struggled for so long, especially GC?. They have some good sprinters now and Gaudin is not bad for the cobbles. I would love to see a french TDF winnner again. Hopefully Sir Dave Brailsford gets Pinot and gives him some marginal gains i think he could dominate. Rememeber he wants to win the Tour with a French rider.

Brailsford would hire Pinot, Bargeuil or Bardet and totally ruin them. His promise would be they become team leaders and the team would work for them. What hes actually saying, is come here to be a super domestique.

 

[Escarabajo]

They are catching up. It can be explained by one of two possible reasons: A good one and a bad one.

 

[Netserk]

Didn't they get two on the podium last July? Not too bad imo.

 

[TANK91]

Yeah good point about the dark side i stupidly dint think of that. Im not discssing it too much but we cant say it is just that. And yeah Netserk they are picking up just shocking really that since Fignon and Hinault they have not conteded. Vierenque and Moreau were never legitamte TDF contenders where they.

 

[TANK91]

Brailsford would hire Pinot, Bargeuil or Bardet and totally ruin them. His promise would be they become team leaders and the team would work for them. What hes actually saying, is come here to be a super domestique.

You do know Sky really only have 1 great GC rider right? Brailsford certainly did not ruin Porte or Uran they got better. It is really EBH who you can say but even at MTN Q he will be the same, EBH just peaked early.

 

[coimbrawu]

Some of the old French cyclist still insist on old training way, you can see this artical
While some French team like FDJ and AG2R are improving so you can see their riders improve these years.

Check Marc Madiot's interview and this is some quote:

Cycling has changed. The time when we were French fighters, are over. The numbers are clear: 80% of the races are decided in a sprint, the others are decided in a summit finish. So we must focus on our strengths. The approach 'we take the start and then we will see along the way' is no longer possible.

In other word, they used to be French fighters (or breakaway specialist?) Right now they focus on sprinting and climber like Bardet and Pinot.

 

[Alexandre B.]

So far this season :
-Jérôme Coppel (IAM Cycling) showed that his bronze medal at the Worlds wasn't usurped (1st in Bessèges ITT, 3rd in RdS ITT).
-Our sprinters all won early, but the more promising of the three has been injured.
-Christophe Laporte (Cofidis) will rock!
-Thibaut Pinot (FDJ) is doing the best early season of his career (2nd in GP La Marseillaise, 3rd in Bessèges, 4th in Algarve). Can't wait to see him in Terreno!
-Romain Bardet (AG2R La Mondiale) was excellent in Oman (2nd to Nibali). He's also doing the best early season of his career. Hope he will perform well in Paris-Nice, where he's always lacking something.
-As usual, we've done nothing in Tour Down Under.
-Warren Barguil (Giant-Alpecin) has been injured, as you know...
-Arthur Vichot (FDJ) is back on track! One of our best puncheurs.
-Julian Alaphilippe (Etixx) is recovering from a mononucleosis. He's yet to make his debut this season.
-Alexis Vuillermoz (AG2R La Mondiale) is still inconsistent, and has been 'meh' as a leader.
-Tony Gallopin (Lotto-Soudal) did a good start (2nd in Bessèges, 6th in Algarve). Our all-rounder will be ready to rock in Paris-Nice.

Our Olympics team at the moment
Pinot - Bardet - Gallopin - (Péraud/Vuillermoz/Coppel)

 

[BalearicBeats]

Re:

Our Olympics team at the moment
Pinot - Bardet - Gallopin - (Péraud/Vuillermoz/Coppel)

I think a Vuillermoz-Bardet combo will be hard to beat at the Olympics if they're both in good form!

 

[trevim]

I have high hopes for Bardet entertaining wise. He's a great climber, explosive, awesome descender and isn't afraid of taking risks. I really hope he takes Liege, Lombardia and some other classics in his career. GT wise he shouldn't really worry about the Tour, I can see him winning the Vuelta somehow. Vuillermoz is a great side kick, I can see them becoming the french version of Purito/Moreno or Valverde/Purito.
It's harder to look at Pinot: I think he has more talent climbing wise and he seems to be improving his TT but his Tour focus can't be good for his career.

 

[Cannibal72]

Vuillermoz won the Olympics warm-up race last season, so I'd say he'd be a good choice for the Rio squad. Great to see French cycling doing so well.

 

[yaco]

Think the promising French GC riders should ride for non-French teams - Because of the importance of La Tour, they don't progress through the Giro and Vuelta as part of their progression - Riders like Bardet and Pinot should be developing their craft in the Giro and the Vuelta like nearly all TDF winners.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

Re:

Think the promising French GC riders should ride for non-French teams - Because of the importance of La Tour, they don't progress through the Giro and Vuelta as part of their progression - Riders like Bardet and Pinot should be developing their craft in the Giro and the Vuelta like nearly all TDF winners.

I wouldn't say that "nearly all TDF winners" have developed their craft in the Giro and the Vuelta. Looking at the winners of the last 10 years:

2006: Pereiro
2007: Contador
2008: Sastre
2009: Contador
2010: Contador
2011: Evans
2012: Wiggins
2013: Froome
2014: Nibali
2015: Froome

I'd say that it's mainly just Sastre and Nibali that have developed into the GC riders they are/were through the Giro and Vuelta. Going further back, I'd say we have to go all the way back to 1988 to find the last TDF winner who developed through the Vuelta/Giro.

 

[TMP402]

Re: Re:

Think the promising French GC riders should ride for non-French teams - Because of the importance of La Tour, they don't progress through the Giro and Vuelta as part of their progression - Riders like Bardet and Pinot should be developing their craft in the Giro and the Vuelta like nearly all TDF winners.

I wouldn't say that "nearly all TDF winners" have developed their craft in the Giro and the Vuelta. Looking at the winners of the last 10 years:

2006: Pereiro
2007: Contador
2008: Sastre
2009: Contador
2010: Contador
2011: Evans
2012: Wiggins
2013: Froome
2014: Nibali
2015: Froome

I'd say that it's mainly just Sastre and Nibali that have developed into the GC riders they are/were through the Giro and Vuelta. Going further back, I'd say we have to go all the way back to 1988 to find the last TDF winner who developed through the Vuelta/Giro.

I don't know if it fits your definition of "develop"ing but if Froome hadn't ridden the Vuelta '11, his story would be a lot different.

 

[staubsauger]

Armstrong was 4th at the 1998 Vuelta.

Landis won in 2006 and lead the Vuelta in 2004, until he got sick!?

Rasmussen would've won the Tour in 2007 and had his breakthrough as a road racer at the Vuelta 2003.

Contador sees the Giro 2008 as his furst big victory nowadays, because of the circumstances he won his first Tour in 2007.

Sastre was a key lieutenant both at the Vuelta and the Giro prior to his major Tour results wasn't he?

Evans? Giro 2002!

Schleck who was runner-up at the Tour showed his greatness with a Giro podium in 2007.

Froome could've won the 2011 Vuelta, but was eventually runner up there and at the 2012 Tour before taking his first glory crown in 2013.

Nibali already won the Vuelta and Giro before his Tour.

Pantani gave Berzin a run for his money before any of his glory Tour perfomances.

Not sure when Indurain got his Vuelta top 10.

But Aru, Ugrumov, Bugno, Breukink, Cappuccino etc. etc developed via the Giro as well in first instance.

Even the last French gt winner was Jalabert at the 1995 Vuelta. But he couldn't transform that level to the Tour and Giro later on.

Arguably even Rolland has his one and only big result as a real gc rider from the 2014 Giro so far!!!

So we could argue about the Vuelta. But the Giro definitely is an early test balloon and even more for every ambitious gc rider and has always been. Unless you're a complete goof or Dutch, of course. With sadly enough seems to be the same thing nowadays. But that's another story.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

Re: Re:

Think the promising French GC riders should ride for non-French teams - Because of the importance of La Tour, they don't progress through the Giro and Vuelta as part of their progression - Riders like Bardet and Pinot should be developing their craft in the Giro and the Vuelta like nearly all TDF winners.

I wouldn't say that "nearly all TDF winners" have developed their craft in the Giro and the Vuelta. Looking at the winners of the last 10 years:

2006: Pereiro
2007: Contador
2008: Sastre
2009: Contador
2010: Contador
2011: Evans
2012: Wiggins
2013: Froome
2014: Nibali
2015: Froome

I'd say that it's mainly just Sastre and Nibali that have developed into the GC riders they are/were through the Giro and Vuelta. Going further back, I'd say we have to go all the way back to 1988 to find the last TDF winner who developed through the Vuelta/Giro.

I don't know if it fits your definition of "develop"ing but if Froome hadn't ridden the Vuelta '11, his story would be a lot different.

Oh yeah sure, I totally forgot about that Anyway, I don't even know if this is what the initial poster meant, I just found the statement a bit odd

 

[staubsauger]

If Bardet wants full leadership at the 2017 Giro and / or Vuelta, there ain't no single problem with AG2R! After all they sent Gadret, Betancur & Pozzovivo to the Giro as first step of their gc renaissance.

Pinot & FDJ is another story.

 

[staubsauger]

If Bardet wants full leadership at the 2017 Giro and / or Vuelta, there ain't no single problem with AG2R! After all they sent Gadret, Betancur & Pozzovivo to the Giro as first step of their gc renaissance.

Pinot & FDJ is another story.

 

[Cannibal72]

It's quite funny that Nacer Bouhanni hasn't yet been mentioned in this thread. To be honest, I think he'll have a very rough season, but he's worth considering as an example of the French Renaissance.

 

[Tonton]

There's a great new generation coming, and they may develop in the Bardet/Pinot shadow, and blossom. I remember that French TV discussion before last year's TdF: "can Pinot win the Tour?" And I see something similar to what happened in Belgium, the search for the new Eddy, the pressure that destroyed guys like Fons De Wolf: the hype, the "circus" as Tibopino calls it. In France, it's all about the Tour and who the next Badger is.

Also, cycling has lost a lot of its popularity in France: blame winning the World Cup in '98 for many kids going to soccer instead. Blame the economy, the cost of equipment, for parents reluctant to invest their money in a $1000 bike when cycling is also seen as dirty. Blame the disdain from a certain Parisian elite, that makes cycling look "ringard" (kind of lame, not modern): not glamorous enough. All things that are not exclusive to France, by the way, but the cocktail is toxic. A few regions provide most of the talent: elsewhere, cycling struggles. I'll finish my rant with one of my "favorite" themes: bring the Tour to the people. Many places never see the route. Make more kids dream.

On a positive note, yes, there's a renaissance. Pinot/Bardet, but also Nacer/Demare, the explosive trio Vuillermoz/Alaphilippe/Gallopin, Barguil, Gougeard, and all the kids coming onto the scene. I love that.

 

[Valv.Piti]

There's a great new generation coming, and they may develop in the Bardet/Pinot shadow, and blossom. I remember that French TV discussion before last year's TdF: "can Pinot win the Tour?" And I see something similar to what happened in Belgium, the search for the new Eddy, the pressure that destroyed guys like Fons De Wolf: the hype, the "circus" as Tibopino calls it. In France, it's all about the Tour and who the next Badger is.

Also, cycling has lost a lot of its popularity in France: blame winning the World Cup in '98 for many kids going to soccer instead. Blame the economy, the cost of equipment, for parents reluctant to invest their money in a $1000 bike when cycling is also seen as dirty. Blame the disdain from a certain Parisian elite, that makes cycling look "ringard" (kind of lame, not modern): not glamorous enough. All things that are not exclusive to France, by the way, but the cocktail is toxic. A few regions provide most of the talent: elsewhere, cycling struggles. I'll finish my rant with one of my "favorite" themes: bring the Tour to the people. Many places never see the route. Make more kids dream.

On a positive note, yes, there's a renaissance. Pinot/Bardet, but also Nacer/Demare, the explosive trio Vuillermoz/Alaphilippe/Gallopin, Barguil, Gougeard, and all the kids coming onto the scene. I love that.

Good post. But please just apply for a goddamn job in the ASO and spread the love in France. Seriously tho, have you considered sending your Tour's to them?

Excellent post also Staubsager. I agree with the fact that Giro/Vuelta is better, at least nowadays, when you want a young stud to evolve and get an idea how to approach a GT cause it simply multiplies in France. Unless you are one of the few Italians stars, and even then, the hype is bigger in France.

Really looking forward to Bardet this year. Top-5 seems far fetched, but there are lots of other races he can do well in, fx. L-B-L which he seems very adamant about winning one day. And he has a very good track record in that race. Paris-Nice seems to suit him very well this year with the amount of TT which is his achilles heel, so hopefully he will get a top-3 and a win on Mont Broiully.

 

[kingjr]

Re:

Armstrong was
Not sure when Indurain got his Vuelta top 10.

7th in 1990, 2nd in 1991.

 

[@NL_LeMondFans]

Many things happening and french riders to follow... The new generation seems closer than ever to hit big but they have one last step to climb and it's a huge one. It's been 3-4 years now that things started to develop and every new season brings a new promising name. It has to pay at one point.

It'll be interesting to see how Pierre Rolland evolves this year. If only to check the french team/foreign team debate.

 

[Nastyy]

Other than the names already mentioned here I'm eagerly waiting to see how Senechal and Latour have progressed. Senechal is one for the cobbles and together with Demare he's the most likely to be the next French winner of the Paris-Roubaix.

Latour showed immense potential in Route du Sud and Tour de l'Ain last year and I have high hopes for him in the future. He seems to be going nicely already, with his 7th place in the Etoile de Besseges TT to show for it, even though the field was quite weak.