FRENCH MASTERS

French men’s racing may be down on its luck in the 21st century but its stars shone brightly in cycling’s golden era. James Shrubsall looks back at the riders who once lit up the road

- James Shrubsall

JACQUES ANQUETIL

High five

Born: 8 January 1934 Died: 18 November 1987

Nickname: Maître Jacques

Stand-out victories: Five Tours de France (1957, 61-64); two editions of the Giro d’Italia (1960, 64), one Vuelta an España (1963)

Normandy son Jacques Anquetil has a list of attributes lined up under his name, the chief of which is surely that of a founding member of the Club Cinq — the roll call of five-time Tour de France winners. Following close behind are perhaps his physical features. A sort of French equivalent to Fausto Coppi, Anquetil was chiseled, blond, and impassive; his riding style was a mirror image of this aloof personality – metronomic rather than swashbuckling. He was also very good at portraying the poker face of the modern rider, never allowing rivals, or onlookers, a glimpse of his suffering. In the words of Tour director Jacques Goddet: “He conducted himself like Fangio, the greatest racing driver I’ve ever seen. He took no unnecessary risks, avoided mechanical problems, and limited himself to answering each rival with the reply required to shut him up.”

Anquetil won his first Tour de France in 1957 aged just 23, and then in 1961 settled into a period of dominance, winning his fifth Tour in 1964.

A little like Miguel Indurain in the Nineties, his wins were based on time trialing ability – he didn’t win a mountain stage until 1963; this didn’t add to his popularity either.