On the Champs Elysées on July 23, the curtain will fall on one of the most idiosyncratic careers in recent cycling history. Thomas Voeckler became a professional bike rider in 2001 with Jean-René Bernaudeau's Bonjour team, and has stayed there for the past 16-and-a-half years, over the course of which he won four stages of the Tour de France, spent 20 days in the yellow jersey, and was twice champion of France. Along the way there were plenty more victories and an even greater helping of breakaways, long-range attacks, and facial contortions.
Voeckler's has been a career lived to the full, and he has captured the imagination of the French public – and that of the international cycling audience – in a way few could even dream of. His popularity levels would seem more commensurate with a palmarès of, say, a Bernard Hinault, but he has flown the flag in a troubled period for France, and a survey last July cast him as still the most-admired home rider at the Tour, despite the presence of the 'new-guard' of Romain Bardet, Thibaut Pinot and others.
Voeckler attributes his popularity to his relatability. He is the humble character who has fought with every scrap of his potential, repeatedly defying the odds, his endlessly expressive face betraying every ounce of his effort and engaging fans in a way that heart rate and power data will never come close to matching.
ADVERTISEMENT
During the recent Critérium du Dauphiné, Cyclingnews met with Voeckler one evening in Grenoble to discuss his career – the highs, lows, ifs, buts, and maybes.
***
Voeckler grew up in Martinique, and picked up cycling in spite of a distinct lack of family tradition. With opportunities limited on the island, he moved to mainland France to progress through the ranks, and turned pro in 2001 as a 21-year-old.
Voeckler's Tour de France highlights
One team wonder
Two, even three, speeds
The final bow
You can read more at Cyclingnews.com
via Cyclingnews Latest Interviews and Features http://ift.tt/2tJwPFo
No comments:
Post a Comment