French Contenders

A wealth of podium-ready Frenchmen are lining up for a tilt at this year’s Tour, writes James Shrubsall

- James Shrubsall

No matter that the Tour de France was won by a foreign rider for the 34th year in a row last time round, an effervescent performance by Julian Alaphilippe gave French fans carte blanche to apply yellow-themed decoration to anything they could see, and most of all feel a sense of pride and ownership. His ride, alongside Thibaut Pinot’s heartbreakingly close call with the ultimate glory, has left French cycling in a good place. A place of self-belief where, going into 2020, everything seems possible.

While Pinot looks, ‘sur papier’ at least, the Frenchman most likely, he is joined by a small but potent phalanx of countrymen ready to back him up or follow in his footsteps in years to come.

THREE OF THE BEST

JULIAN ALAPHILIPPE

Deceuninck-Quick Step (27)

Best Tour performance: 2019 (5th on GC) Career wins: 30

Alaphilippe may have conceded the yellow jersey to Egan Bernal after a total of 14 days wearing it, and he may have a rather less impressive moniker than Merckx (it’s Loulou), but having finished fifth last year the podium now looks in reach for the Avergne-born 27-year-old.

Alaphilippe, whose swaggering, extrovert manner has seen him labelled a ‘cycling rock star’ has flair and – as his win at the Pau TT last July showed –selfbelief in spades. But up until last year’s lengthy tenure in yellow Alaphilippe was generally seen as a puncheur for the hilly Classics, with wins at Flèche Wallonne, San Sebastian and Strade Bianche under his belt. Neither a pure climber or time triallist, he’ll need the stars to align if he’s going to finish in the top positions.