Shaw takes long road to the very top

British rider is making maiden outing at the Tour de France and turning heads in the mountains

-  Tom Thewlis

It wasn’t long ago that James Shaw was sitting at home, spending nights on Linkedin sending CVs to a variety of professional cycling teams as he looked to keep his career in the sport alive. At just 23, the British rider had been dropped by Lotto-Dstny and was unsure as to what lay in store for him.

Fast forward five years, and the Nottinghamshire born rider has made his Tour de France debut and was at the sharp end of the action on stage six, the second of two huge mountain stages in the Pyrenees.

Shaw was part of a large breakaway that included the likes of Julian Alaphilippe (Soudal-Quick Step) and Wout van Aert (Jumbo-Visma) and hung with them as they as they climbed the infamous Col d'Aspin and Col du Tourmalet.

Speaking to Cycling Weekly in Mont de Marsan, Shaw said that his performance in the Pyrenees made him feel like he belonged at the Tour.

"It was a big day out," he said. "I think it was big in terms of physically demanding, but also big in terms of a stepping stone day in the Tour. I feel like now I know and understand where I'm at with my form and my condition. I'm going to look forward to a few more days like that to come in the second and third week." Shaw was right in the thick of the action when Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma) and Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) attacked out of the group of favourites, swiftly joining him and his breakaway m ducation Can companions up the road.

"I mean as far as seeing it live goes, it was a front row seat," Shaw joked.

"Sitting behind potentially the two greatest Grand Tour

Dauphiné breakthrough