French Renaissance?

[craig1985]

Madiot's been saying pretty much the same about him for a while now.

I doubt he can live up to it.

Nor do I. Actually Offredo was in hot water for attacking, because if he stayed in the peloton then he might of been able to get Geslin a higher place. Still wouldn't of beaten Freire, Boonen etc.

 

[trompe le monde]

I really want to say yes, but I don't see it just yet.…

…I think there is some young French talent coming up and hopefully a renaissance is coming, but I don't think it's happened yet. Let's let the year play out a bit more.

Jean-René Bernaudeau has high expectations for Pierre Rolland at Le Tour this summer as he thinks he can sneak within the top 10 in GC. He also saddled similar hope on Chavanel so maybe his predictive sense isn't that great.

Rolland did finish 4th over all in the White Jersey classification in his first tour as a 22 year old, though that comes with the caveat that he was 33 minutes back of Andy Schleck. That team time trial where half the team decided that a field was part of the parcours and rendered Bbox with the second worst team time trial time didn't help, but still there was a sizeable gap between Kreuziger and Rolland. Another Bbox hope for the future is Cyril Gautier, good climber, though I'm unsure of his time trialling re GC status. Don't know if he will be included in Bbox's Tour squad, though I'm half expecting him to be there.

But I agree with you, the year still needs to play out before any renaissance can be considered under way.

 

[pmcg76]

I really want to say yes, but I don't see it just yet.

Seems very similar to last year when Voeckler had gone on a mini-tear. Most of their good results have been in smaller French races (Fédrigo's CI result would have to be the most notable exception) and pretty much all of the best results are from riders that usually perform well. Dumoulin has had a good year so far but has taken advantage of fields mostly devoid of good sprinters.

And as people have mentioned, at this point there really is no top-level Sprinter, TTer, GC guy, or Classics rider at the moment. They need at least one.

I think there is some young French talent coming up and hopefully a renaissance is coming, but I don't think it's happened yet. Let's let the year play out a bit more.

I dont quite agree with you, the French are winning in races they wouldnt normally win at like 3 Days of De Panne, Catalonia and with newer riders. Turogt, Gautier, Chainel, Moinard are hardly regular French winners.

 

[jaylew]

I dont quite agree with you, the French are winning in races they wouldnt normally win at like 3 Days of De Panne, Catalonia and with newer riders. Turogt, Gautier, Chainel, Moinard are hardly regular French winners.

You're right, French riders have picked up a few good wins this year that were relatively unexpected. I just don't think we're at the "French Renaissance" stage just yet.