Does Guimard still have that sort status amongst today's riders though? Don't they see him as a figure from the past? The current French riders weren't even born the last time Guimard won anything.[/quote]
Great point, and I would say yes. Had the French DS won a bunch since Guimard's heyday, it would be different. And he was a rider too, one who gave Merckx a run for his money. In France, he's still the Man. Not as much as he was, but he is a monument. The riders' DS still bow to his greatness, with stories to tell. Finally, Guimard will do his homework, talk to the potential chosen, he will not pick guys that he feels won't listen.