palmares thomas voeckler tour de france

Thomas Voeckler: The Maverick Showman Of The Tour De France

Pedals churning, tongue wagging, his face a portrait of pleasure and pain; Thomas Voeckler cut a mesmeric figure at the 2011 Tour de France during which the French cycling hero famously sported the yellow jersey for 10 gripping days, only to then heartbreakingly miss out on a podium finish.

The upcoming 106th edition of the Tour de France will be the 34th successive year in which France will attempt to produce a homegrown winner of La Grande Boucle. You have to flick the history books back to 1985 when Frenchman Bernard Hinault equalled the five-haul record of compatriot Jacques Anquetil and Eddy Merckx.

While Voeckler was never able to realise his dream of winning the Tour de France, the now 40-year-old will forever be remembered as one of the great mavericks of the sport who won an army of fans thanks to his blood-and-guts attitude, swashbuckling style, and voracious appetite for bold lactic-acid inducing attacks and daring, aggressive riding. He was also well fond of a facial expression or 10; ranging from unimaginable suffering to triumphant jubilation.

Five years later he recorded the first of his four Tour de France stage wins. The serial escaper was part of a six man break for most of the day, before storming off solo with three miles to go to complete a sweet success ahead of the sprinters. 

The following year he conjured up one of the rides of his career in winning stage 15. He launched a vicious solo attack over the top of the Hors catègorie Port de Bales, then negotiated the descent in electric fashion. Such was the gap he opened up that Voeckler could afford to drink in the adoration from the crowd as he cruised to victory.

Fast-forward to the 2011 Tour de France when Voeckler once again gripped a cycling-obsessed nation. He may not have won a stage, but he tasted yellow once again on stage 9 after he managed to avoid a horrific clash with a TV car, and subsequently claimed the overall lead. Voeckler was drenched in yellow for another 10 day period, and during this time he reeled in his usual attacking instincts in order to doggedly battle the main general classification contenders in the Pyrenees and Alps.

But, despite his herculean efforts, Voeckler agonisingly came undone just two days before the processional Champs-Élysées. Crushingly, he was unable to secure a podium finish, instead having to settle for 4th as he became the highest-placed Frenchman in 11 years.

"If we take the 2012 Tour, that resembles me better. Two stage wins, the polka-dot jersey - which represents panache - always in breaks, always fighting - that corresponds more with my way of racing," he told Cycling News .

Voeckler put away his bike in 2017, but last month it was revealed that he will become the head coach of the French national road team 2020, and will no doubt be bidding to orchestrate success at the Tokyo Olympics. Whatever happens in his new managerial role, Voeckler will always be fondly remembered as true cycling maverick of his generation.

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Tour de France

2017 tour to be thomas voeckler’s lap of honor, france’s thomas voeckler turns the pedals for the last time at the 2017 tour. he intends to savor his final moments on the bike..

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For the last 13 years, Thomas Voeckler has entertained Tour de France fans with his contorted facial expressions and gritty racing style. Throughout his career he attempted long-range breakaways that often seemed foolhardy; on multiple occasions he turned these huge efforts into victory. Along the way he wore the race’s maillot jaune for 20 total stages. He became a fan favorite in France and abroad.

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Voeckler was born in Alsace, in France’s northeast, and was raised in Guadeloupe in the Caribbean. He was tutored as a cyclist in the Vendée, on France’s west-central Atlantic coast.

His story as a cycling star began July 8, 2004, on the fifth stage of that year’s Tour de France. Soon after the start in Amiens, he jumped into a breakaway with Sandy Casar, Jakob Piil, and Stuart O’Grady. The latter ended up victorious in Chartres while Voeckler claimed the yellow jersey. It was the moment France became aware of the Brioches La Boulangère rider’s boyish face. He reveled in the Tour’s yellow leader’s jersey for 10 days, holding off Lance Armstrong on the course’s hardest days, before finally ceding the lead in the Alps. It was then that his boss, Jean-René Bernaudeau, promised: “Thomas is going to have a wonderful career, just you wait and see!”

Those 10 days in yellow provided the foundation for his career; Voeckler turned out to be a masterful racer, a fierce competitor, and a canny athlete who knew just how to keep the press and the public entertained. For 13 years, Voeckler has built an enviable palmarès, including two French titles, the Grand Prix of Québec and of Plouay, stages of Paris-Nice, the Critérium du Dauphiné, and the Tour of the Basque Country. But it has been at the Tour de France where he has pulled off his most memorable exploits.

After his 2004 epic, he waited five years before finally claiming a first stage with a solo win in Perpignan. The best was still yet to come. He took a stage victory with the French national champion’s jersey on his back in Bagnères-de-Luchon. Voeckler then added two more in 2012, one in that same Pyrenean town and the other at Bellegarde-sur-Valserine.

While his four stage victories have immense value in a sporting sense, it was his second 10-day spell in the yellow jersey in 2011 that shattered all expectations. He again formed part of a successful breakaway, this time finishing in the Cantal. Just as he did in 2004, Voeckler repeated his belief that he couldn’t compete for the overall classification.

He was equally convinced, though, that the dream of winning the Tour and pulling off the most beautiful coups — and finally offering the home nation a victor to succeed Bernard Hinault — was within his reach. He was thwarted by one climb, the Galibier. This was the scene of a magnificent battle unleashed by Andy Schleck and Cadel Evans. Eventually, it shattered the Frenchman’s dream, and Evans took the overall victory. Millions of fans shared in his sadness when he missed a podium finish in Paris by a single place.

Nevertheless, Voeckler became a star. He confirmed his status by claiming the polka-dot jersey in dashing style in 2012. He finally savored the pride that comes with standing on the final podium on the Champs-Élysées.

At the age of 38, having completed 14 Tours de France, Voeckler is bringing an end to the romance he has shared with the French people. Faithful to his understanding of his place in the sport, he has no intentions of taking on a starring role during his farewell race. “I’d like it to work out well for the team,” he says. “My teammate Bryan Coquard deserves to bag a stage, and that would be a victory for me by proxy. I want to enjoy a wonderful Tour and I won’t hide the fact that I’d also like it if I could find a single moment to show my colors. That said, I wouldn’t be at all disappointed to ride the Tour as a team captain, as a teammate, and to finish in Paris after three beautiful weeks.”

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What Thomas Voeckler did next

Transition, TV punditry and team management as the French fan favourite sips on his cycling career digestif

Thomas Voeckler was woven into the fabric of the modern Tour de France. He was as integral as helicopter chateaux shots, as eye-catching as ambitious agricultural co-operatives, as instantly gratifying as the projectiles from the publicity caravan, and as French as crusty bread and soft cheese picnics on the side of the road.

He was a reason for housewives of France to switch on the Tour during those long, simmering, sunflower-strewn stages. Never mind Contador, Froome, or all those forgettable names during the forgettable post-Armstrong years; he was their tongue-wagging, charismatic musketeer. 

Cover stories: issue 18.4, Tour de France special, by Simon Gill 

Even for those of us with more awareness of the sporting aspect of the Tour, his style was a cleansing antidote to the grubby notion of performance enhancement. Panache over palmares. Style over substance. Poulidor Complex – that French affection for the plucky loser – over precision-engineered prize-winning. 

So unpicking Thomas Voeckler from the Tour’s tapestry is no mean feat, not least for the man himself.

“I’d say that right now I’m in that period that in French we would call ‘la digestion’, really…” he says. “…but it’s complicated, I have to be honest.”

Voeckler’s transition is neither new nor surprising; dozens of riders go through the process each year, each one stepping out of the all-consuming sport and drifting off into their own take on real life. But its frequency makes it no less difficult, both in its instant shock factor and its ultimate banality.

In Voeckler’s own words: “You’ve done just one thing, really deep, that takes up your whole life. And then you have this radical change; physical activity reduces and all those feelings you had as a rider, they are just things that you can’t rediscover in real life.” 

He has no regrets about the way he bowed out last season. His longing for competition was outweighed by his desire for family time with three kids, aged nine, six and six months and, aged 38 during last year’s Tour, he wasn’t getting any younger. A man of carefully chosen words, he summarises it all with two: “je profite.” 

Read: Brief encounters – short Tour de France road stages

“Yet the question that you ask yourself when you stop professional cycling is the question that you should ask yourself when you’re 20, 21 years old: what am I going to do with my life? At 38 you ought to know what you want to do.” 

You’d think Voeckler would have it sewn up thanks to his popularity. He has at least quickly strolled back onto the TV screens and podium presentations of major French races as a pundit or ASO’s ambassadorial replacement for Bernard Hinault, which in one sense is la digestion but in another is a tasting board of different things.

“Because I’ve only done cycling in my life, I know neither what I like doing nor what I’m actually good at.”

Oh look, Thomas Voeckler’s in Asda in Barnsley. Obvs. (Via @GaryVerity ) pic.twitter.com/vOTAEtZswm — Ned Boulting (@nedboulting) May 2, 2018

Voeckler is also studying for a diploma in sporting team management at the University of Limoges, a general two-year course taken by the likes of football managers Zinedine Zidane and Laurent Blanc. His sights are set on managing his own cycling team.

“Will I succeed, I don’t know. What I do know is that if I had immediately gone into working in a team, like working with [Direct Energie manager] Bernaudeau or something, it wouldn’t have been the right solution. Just because I’ve done 17 years as a pro rider doesn’t mean I have the slightest idea about being a good manager. It’s too easy to say that.”

The ultimate goal is about more than a team. After all, Voeckler will have earned enough to retire comfortably in the Vendée countryside and watch the 2018 Tour finish close to his home in La Roche sur Yon as a largely anonymous Monsieur Tout-le-monde. 

Read: Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig – conveyor belt to success

But as usual it’s about more than just money and success, and more than just filling time. It’s about finding the same ‘envie’ – the same motivating force – as he did when he was a rider. 

“I don’t dream of the WorldTour; that’s to say that I would prefer to be big fish in a small pond than a small fish in a big pond,” he adds. “And, for me, the sport of cycling should still be about feeling that a team is like a family. I think that with a WorldTour team – with its number of riders and number of staff – inevitably loses a bit of this esprit.” 

Thomas Voeckler is learning to stitch himself into the fabric of cycling once again, and in his own colourful, unmistakeable way.

“It’s my second career. I was very proud of my first career and I want to be proud of my second.”

The post What Thomas Voeckler did next appeared first on The world's finest cycling magazine.

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TdF Stage 10: Voeckler resurgent

Effervescent frenchman takes stage win, polka dot jersey.

Thomas Voeckler (Europcar) won stage 10, the first high-mountain stage of the Tour de France on Wednesday. The Frenchman’s win marked a big comeback after injuring his knee and getting caught behind crashes during the first half of the grand tour.

Voeckler, who also moved into the lead of the climber’s competition, was part of a five-man breakaway that sprinted up a small ascent to the finish line in Bellegarde-sur-Valserine. Michele Scarponi (Lampre-ISD) placed second ahead of Jens Voight (RadioShack-Nissan) in third, Luis Leon Sanchez (Rabobank) in fourth and Dries Devenyns (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) in fifth.

Vincenzo Nibali (Liquigas) attacked race leader Bradley Wiggins (Sky) on the descent that followed the day’s big mountain pass. Wiggins, however, lost no time to his GC rivals Nibali, Cadel Evans (BMC), or his teammate Chris Froome.

An enormous breakaway of 25 riders rode away from the field in the early kilometres of the stage. In it were green jersey leader Peter Sagan (Liquigas) and Matty Goss (Orica-GreenEdge) to battle for the intermediate sprint after the first categorized climb. Goss prevailed and closed the gap in the points competition.

About halfway up the Col du Grand Colombier, a 17.4-kilometre climb averaging 7.1 per cent, a quartet separated itself from the large escape. Devenyns, Sanchez and Scarponi  joined Voeckler, who took maximum King of the Mountains points at the summit.

On the descent, Nibali attacked out of the peloton, and with help from teammate Sagan, earned a maximum lead of one minute over his GC rivals. However, Wiggins’ teammate Ritchie Porte set a fast tempo in front of a select group to reel back Nibali on the final categorized climb of the day.

Atop that climb, Voeckler took the maximum points, and moved into the lead of the climber’s competition. He will wear the polka dot jersey at the start of stage 11.

On the run-in to the finish, the quartet was joined by a bridger Jens Voigt (RadioShack-Nissan), the 40-year old German looking to end his career with a bang. There was plenty of attacking and counterattacking, but in the end Voeckler was able to haul himself up the little rise to the line to take his third career Tour win, and slip into the top 30 on GC.

Tomorrow the race enters the Alps, surmounting two HC climbs before a summit finish on La Toussuire.

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Thomas Voeckler, clap de fin pour un monsieur du Tour

Mis à jour 25/07/2017 à 14:20 GMT+2

TOUR DE FRANCE – Thomas Voeckler a mis fin à son Tour, sa saison et sa carrière dimanche sur les Champs-Elysées. A 38 ans, l'Alsacien tenait symboliquement à s'arrêter sur la Grande Boucle, cette épreuve qui a forgé sa carrière, lui a tant donné et à laquelle il a beaucoup rendu.

Thomas Voeckler

Crédit: Getty Images

Bon partout et excellent nulle part

Thomas Voeckler au Galibier, en 2011.

Le Plateau de Beille au cœur de son tiercé

Le Plateau de Beille 2004, c'est au-dessus de tout. Pleurer de joie comme ça, pour un type qui dirige une entreprise comme moi… En 2011, ce n'est pas que je m'étais habitué, mais c'était différent. Moins dans l'émotion. Surtout, 2004, j'ai vécu la montée à côté de lui, dans la voiture. Pour moi, rien ne dépasse ça. Ça n'a pas d'équivalent. Je suis discret, je vis les exploits de mes coureurs en versant une larme avec mes proches, mais c'est mon jardin secret.

Bernaudeau : "Thomas Voeckler, il fait partie de ma vie"

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Thomas Voeckler : que devient le cycliste porteur du maillot jaune lors du Tour de France 2011 ?

Sensation du Tour de France 2011, Thomas Voeckler a arrêté sa carrière depuis plusieurs années. Coureur phare du cyclisme français des années 2000 et 2010, que devient l’ancien baroudeur ?

Coureur au franc-parler singulier, Thomas Voeckler a laissé une trace indélébile dans le cœur des fans français de cyclisme. C’est notamment lors du Tour de France 2011 qu’il a connu ses plus belles heures sur un vélo. Souvenez-vous de cette épopée rêvée qui a failli se terminer par une victoire au classement général inattendue. Cette année-là, le natif de Schiltigheim a touché du doigt le graal. Lors de la 9e étape, il termine deuxième et prend le maillot jaune après une longue échappée victorieuse. Le Français va ensuite faire preuve d’une résistance à toute épreuve. Dépasser ses limites comme seul un porteur de la tunique dorée peut le faire. Dans les Pyrénées, il est héroïque et parvient à prendre les roues des meilleurs de l’époque (Alberto Contador, Cadel Evans et Andy Schleck).

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> A lire aussi : Tony Gallopin : que devient l'ancien cycliste français depuis la fin de sa carrière ?

“J'ai caressé le rêve. Mais justement, un rêve, c'est inaccessible…”

Sur le Plateau de Beille, personne ne parvient à lâcher le Tricolore d’Europcar, pourtant pas habitué à être avec les leaders lorsque la pente s’élève à des hauts pourcentages. Ti’ Blanc, comme il est surnommé, pousse son parcours fantastique jusqu’à l’avant-dernière étape de la Grande Boucle . Il craque finalement dans les pentes de l’Alpe d’Huez après avoir trop donné la veille dans le Galibier. Il finit finalement à la 4e place au général avec des regrets de ne pas avoir pu accrocher un podium. “ Je suis un peu déçu, car j'ai caressé le rêve. Mais justement, un rêve, c'est inaccessible… ”, explique-t-il après le Tour. Thomas Voeckler c’est cela : un cœur énorme, une combativité de tous les instants.

Vainqueur du maillot à pois en 2012

Durant sa carrière, le baroudeur a toujours tout donné sur les pédales, ne mentant jamais. En tant que cycliste professionnel, l’Alsacien d’origine a remporté à deux reprises le titre de champion de France sur route (2004 et 2010). A quatre reprises, il s’est adjugé une étape du Tour de France . En 2012, il a aussi glané le maillot à pois du meilleur grimpeur à l'issue des trois semaines de course. Avant de lever les bras sur les plus grandes épreuves, l’ex-coureur de la team BBox Bouygues Telecom a débuté le cyclisme à 10 ans. C’est en Martinique, où sa famille avait emménagé depuis quelque temps, que Thomas Voeckler va développer sa passion pour ce sport. Une passion qui l’anime encore aujourd’hui. Son tempérament de guerrier, sa hargne sur la selle ont toujours été sa marque de fabrique, même en junior.

> A lire aussi : Riccardo Ricco : que devient le cycliste italien aux nombreuses histoires de dopage ?

Consultant et entraîneur de l’équipe de France

En 2017, il décide d’arrêter sa belle carrière et se consacre à un rôle de consultant pour France Télévision . Il suit le peloton à moto depuis plusieurs années et notamment les coureurs échappés. On peut le voir au sein des villages départ et à l’arrivée à l’antenne. Il participe aux interviews des vainqueurs du jour aux côtés des journalistes de France 2. Outre ce nouveau rôle, Voeckler est depuis 2019 le sélectionneur de l’équipe de France masculine. Il a notamment orchestré de brillantes tactiques en 2020 et 2021 pour permettre à Julian Alaphilippe de remporter ses deux titres de champions du monde. En 2023, il a également été juste dans ses choix pour mener Christophe Laporte vers le trophée de champion d’Europe. On le retrouvera à nouveau à la tête des Bleus cet été pour les Jeux Olympiques de Paris 2024. Il tentera d’aller chercher un titre olympique ou au moins une médaille ce qui serait historique pour le France. Depuis José Beyaert en 1948 à Londres, aucun français n’est monté sur le podium des JO.

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Tour de France Stage 10: Thomas Voeckler takes the stage and the polka dot jersey, Bradley Wiggins keeps lead

Thomas Voeckler, the Europcar rider who spent nearly a fortnight in the race leader's yellow jersey in last year's Tour de France, has won Stage 10 of the 99th edition of the race in Bellegarde-sur-Valserine this afternoon, proving stronger in the finale than Lampre-ISD's Michele Scarponi and Jens Voigt of RadioShack-Nissan.

All three had been in a break of 25 riders and with three categorised climbs today, Voeckler also takes the polka dot jersey as mountains classification leader. In the GC group, Liquigas-Cannondale's Vincenzo Nibali, fourth overall, attacked on the descent of the Grand Colombier but was brought back, with Jurgen Van Den Broeck, who had started the day ninth, the only man in the top ten to take any time back on Team Sky's Bradley WIggins, who retains the overall lead. Van Den Broeck finished half a minute ahead of the maillot jaune group, but still lies nearly five minutes behind Wiggins.

Much of the route of today’s stage, including all three categorised climbs, the Côte de Corlier, the Col du Grand Colombier and the Col de Richemond, had featured in Stage 5 of last month’s Critérium du Dauphiné, where Wiggins successfully defended his title, with BMC Racing’s Cadel Evans finishing second, just as he had done 12 months earlier.

During that stage Evans, defending champion in this year’s Tour de France of course, had sought with his BMC team mates to shake off race leader Wiggins on the descent from the Grand Colombier, putting a minute into him, but with the help of his Sky colleagues the British rider rode hard to close down the gap.

Today, it was arguably the best descender in the peloton, Vincenzo Nibali, who went on the attack after the main group had crested the summit of the Grand Colombier, the Liquigas-Cannondale rider, fourth overall, teasing out an advantage of more than a minute as he caught team mate Peter Sagan, who had been one of three riders to initiate the day’s break, others setting off in pursuit to form a group of 25 riders that had a seven minute lead ahead of that Hors-Categorie climb.

Nibali, winner of the 2010 Vuelta, was brought back by the maillot jaune group, however, on the lower slopes of the day’s final climb, the Col de Richemond, but he at least had taken the fight to Team Sky; he wasn’t the only rider to do so, however, with Lotto-Belisol’s Juergen Van Den Broecke, in ninth place this morning, 5 minutes 20 seconds down on Wiggins, attacking three times on the Grand Colombier and finally managing to get away on the Col de Richemond.

The Belgian’s efforts see him move up to eighth overall, and Team Sky will be happy to tick off a day in the mountains in which anticipated attacks from a number of riders towards the top of the GC largely failed to materialise.

The relief could well be temporary, however, with the 2012 Tour’s big Alpine stage looming tomorrow and featuring the climbs of the Col de Madeleine, Col de la Croix de Fer and Col du Mollard ahead of a summit finish at La Toussuire.

Instead, today saw some big-name riders who have experienced disappointment so far in this year’s race look to salvage something, as well as a sub-plot that saw the two leading riders in the points classification, Sagan in the green jersey and Orica-GreenEdge’s Matt Goss, fight out the intermediate sprint; honours, and 15 points, went to the Australian, with FDJ-BigMat’s Yauheni Hutarovich getting second ahead of the Slovak.

Following that sprint, as the road headed up the Col du Grand Colombier, the lead group began to splinter as some of the big name riders who had managed to slip into it came to the fore.

Besides Voeckler, Scarponi and Voigt, who was distanced on that climb but put in a storming effort to make it back to the leaders ahead of the finale, just two other riders were at the head of the race as it crossed the summit of the Hors-Categorie climb – Rabobank’s Luis-Leon Sanchez, who had been brought back after an earlier attack on the ascent, and Omega Pharma-Quick Step’s Dries Devenyns.

The latter, who had been saving his legs for the finale to the evident disgust of Voeckler who had done more than his fair share of work in ensuring the remains of the break stayed away, attacked some three and a half kilometres from the line, with Voigt, who had joined the front quartet a little after the 10 kilometres to go banner, setting off in pursuit of the Belgian.

In a tough closing kilometre, as the pair in front tired, Sanchez tried to go for the win, but it would be Voeckler who would prove toughest as he reeled in first Voigt, then Devenyns to take his third stage victory in four years.

The exception was last year, when it had been Sanchez himself who won from the break the day Voeckler took yellow, a stage best remembered for the incident involving a car that sideswiped Team Sky’s Juan Antonio Flecha, with Vacansoleil-DCM’s Johnny Hoogerland sent crashing into a barbed wire fence.

Van Den Broeck and Europcar's Pierre Rolland, who had gone with the Belgian on each of his last two attacks, crossed the line 2 minutes 45 seconds behind Voeckler, but just 31 seconds ahead of the maillot jaune group, led home by Evans.

Thomas Voeckler, Europcar, today’s stage winner and new mountains classification leader:

“Early today I said to myself, ‘The breakaway can go and win the stage'… and I was confident but not too confident because there were many, many guys who are very strong. In the end, I believed I could win only five metres before the finish line.

“The last 500 metres was so hard that I was looking back; I saw [Jens] Voigt and [Luis] Sanchez and I thought it was over for me. It was very long, those final metres!

“You know, when you love something you have to give it all you can. For many years I've said that, for me, a good Tour de France is a Tour de France when you arrive in Paris and you can say to yourself that you have no regrets. Today I know that I can finish my Tour without regrets but that doesn't mean that I'll just stay in the peloton for the rest of the race.

“Two weeks before the start of the Tour de France, the Rud du Sud, I came to a halt and I had to abandon that race because of pain in my legs. I got in the car of one of our mechanics and I thought that, so close to the Tour, it wouldn't be possible to make it to this race. I had eight days off the bike and it was most upsetting… but today I was where I wanted to be.

“The polka dot jersey… ah, you can not compare it to the yellow jersey. But this morning I had no chance to take the yellow. I've already worn the polka-dot jersey twice before this Tour, but never so late in the race. I thought about ‘Chartix' [Anthony Charteau] and how that got to Paris in 2010 with the polka-dot jersey. If it happened for him, I tell myself that I can also try. I will not let it go easily.”

Jens Voigt, RadioShack-Nissan, third today:

“As you could see, everyone was pretty much dead in the last kilometres. We had some slow motion attacks there at the end; everyone was on the limit. It was a hard day.

“I swear I was on the limit [on the Grand Colombier]. I could hardly focus on the wheel in front of me. I was just in a tunnel of pain and trying to keep on the wheel. Then we had the descent and at the bottom of that I could breathe better and figure out more of my strategy. The final climb was not so steep and was good for me. I decided to go in with everything I had. If I exploded and finished nowhere, well, ok. But I caught them recovered a bit, played some poker and finished third.

“Most [other riders] try to ride easier and not try so many crazy, stupid things like me.  But that’s my image and I try to stick to that.  I can officially declare that I’m not covering the breaks tomorrow.  I am taking the day off.  I will listen to my tired, poor body. Well, let’s say I’ll be less aggressive.

“It’s good to prove to yourself that your body still functions, that it isn’t luck that you were selected to ride the Tour de France but that you deserved it. And that you are still a good team member and can do the job that the team expects. Yeah, I’m a little proud.”

Bradley Wiggins, reminded about Sunday’s question regarding speculation on Twitter about his performance, and asked whether since riders had to win back the public’s trust, he as race leader had a duty to respond on the peloton’s behalf on the subject of doping:

"I understand it from certain parts of the media but I don’t think I should sit here and justify everything I have done to the world. I’m not some shit rider who has come from nowhere. I’ve been three times Olympic champion on the track. I think people have to realise what kind of engine you need to win an Olympic gold medal as an Olympic pursuiter.

"I’ve been six times world champion, I’ve been fourth in the Tour de France, third in the Vuelta last year, it’s not like I’ve just come from nowhere. I’ve got an incredible pedigree behind me, junior world champion and an incredible rise through the ranks and so I don’t feel like I lost my cool, I just said what I think.

"If I’d lost my cool this table would have been on the floor and that’s the difference. I don’t feel like I need to sit here and justify to everyone. To me, it’s them pissing all over things that I’ve done, by saying 'oh well he’s cheating', and that’s what really gets to me because everyone in their individual jobs works hard at what they do, everyone on this Tour has a certain job to do and works hard at it and that’s no different to the position I’m in now.

"Yes, I’m in the yellow jersey and I’m maybe inspiring kids to take up cycling in the UK but ultimately I’ve worked hard to be in this position and I deserve every minute after what I’ve been through in this last week or so, especially after sitting at home last year and watching in on the television.

“There’s one reason why I’m in that position and that’s because I’ve worked hard and I shouldn’t have to justify all that other stuff that we spoke about the other day to certain parts of the world.

"I’m tested by the UCI, God knows how many times a year, God knows how many times at the Dauphiné, blood tested every morning. What more can I do other than that? I don’t know really? You tell me. I’d love to know.

“I’m only human at the end of the day, I’m not this robot. I’m just this kid from London who happened to be good at cycling and made it here.

“I make mistakes in my life, I swear. I’m not this fantastic role model that everyone wants me to be. I am good at riding my bike and performing on my bike and other than that and sitting up here every day and trying to be articulate, I don’t know what else I can do other than that."

Tweet of the Day:

"Ok that officially a very hard day, gotta admit. More than once i yelled at my legs" shut up legs" believe on that [one]" - Jens Voigt, Radioshack-Nissan

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Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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Such an exciting but slow sprint! I couldn't decide whether I wanted jens or tommy to win; they're both such gutsy riders who can light up a race.

Re the tweet, I was also shouting 'shut up' at jens' legs!

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« Ne me parlez surtout pas d’équipe de France B », Thomas Voeckler défend sa sélection avant les championnats d’Europe

Par Philippe Priser

Pour épauler Christophe Laporte, champion d’Europe en titre, Thomas Voeckler a dû ratisser large pour composer sa sélection avant les championnats d‘Europe. Pour autant, le sélectionneur de l’équipe de France ne veut pas entendre parler « d’équipe de France B ».

Votre sélection pour les championnats d‘Europe est surprenante…

Pourquoi pas… Disons clairement les choses : avec les courses WorldTour du Canada (vendredi et dimanche) et le Grand Prix d‘Isbergues (dimanche), ces championnats d’Europe doivent faire face à une vive concurrence. Du coup, j’ai dû faire évoluer mes plans. Plusieurs coureurs auxquels je pensais faire appel n’ont pas été libérés par leurs formations. Oui, j’ai essuyé plusieurs refus. Je comprends la problématique des équipes de marques, je respecte leur position, ce sont elles qui payent les coureurs. J’ai été coureur avec le même manager pendant 17 ans, je comprends tout ça. Je ne suis personne pour réclamer quoi que ce soit. Alors je me suis adapté à la situation, tout simplement. Mais ne me parlez surtout pas d’équipe de France B. Je ne suis pas frustré, je suis fier de l’équipe que l’on va aligner. L’équipe de France a de la gueule.

Est-ce à dire que les championnats d’Europe sont mal placés dans le calendrier…

Ça dépend des années. À part les championnats du monde, il n’y a pas beaucoup de courses qui n’ont pas de concurrence. C’est la première fois que je dois m’adapter à ce point. Encore une fois, j’ai pris cela comme un challenge d’adaptabilité. Cela me permet aussi de donner la chance à certains coureurs qui n’auraient pas été là si le calendrier avait été différent.

Pourquoi ne voulez-vous pas entendre parler d’équipe de France B ?

Parce que les coureurs sélectionnés, même s‘ils ne se retrouvent pas en haut des classements, font du travail au plus haut niveau. D’accord, ce n’est peut-être pas le travail que l’on voit le plus à l’antenne mais ils sont présents. Je suis convaincu qu’ils vont apporter quelque chose dimanche. Personnellement, j’aborde ce rendez-vous comme s’il s’agissait des Mondiaux ou des JO. Avec la même implication.

Justement, quelles seront les ambitions de l’équipe de France ?

Gagner ! J’ai toujours le même terme. Si on n’y va pas pour la gagne, ce n’est pas ma conception du vélo. Avec le champion d’Europe sortant avec nous, ce serait une faute de penser autrement. Maintenant, je suis lucide. Sur le parcours, sur l’opposition. En face, on va retrouver Van der Poel, Groenewegen, Pedersen, Merlier, Philipsen ou encore les Italiens qui réussissent très souvent sur les championnats d’Europe.

Christophe Laporte, lui, sera présent…

Je tiens à souligner que son programme initial l’envoyait au Canada. Son équipe (Visma-Lease a Bike) a accepté de le libérer et quand on connaît l’importance des courses Québec-Montréal et à quel point elles conviennent à Christophe… Ce n’est pas rien de le laisser à la disposition de l’équipe de France.

Du coup, ce sera tout pour Laporte ?

Vous savez bien que je ne vais pas répondre à cette question. J’ai mon idée sur la question.

Deux jeunes Bretons, Eddy Le Huitouze et Mathis Le Berre, figurent dans votre sélection. Qu’en attendez-vous ?

Eddy, ça fait un moment que je le connais. Il a longtemps fait partie des équipes de France jeunes. Il est dans une bonne période, il était bien sur le Renewi Tour. C’est un travailleur de l’ombre. Je connais Mathis depuis le Circuit des Ardennes 2021 où j’étais avec l’équipe de France espoirs. J’ai suivi sa Vuelta, je sais ce qu’il peut apporter une semaine après un grand Tour. Lui ne le sait peut-être pas. Ils seront utiles au collectif.

A quel type de championnat d‘Europe vous attendez-vous ?

Tout dépendra des stratégies des différentes nations. Certains coureurs, à l’image de Mathieu van der Poel, aiment que les choses bougent de loin et à côté de ça, on aura une ribambelle de sprinters. Le circuit des championnats d’Europe est typé flandrien sans difficulté dans les 25 derniers kilomètres et la succession de monts n’a rien à voir avec celle que l’on retrouve sur le Tour des Flandres. Il y a un vrai secteur pavé mais…

L‘équipe de France n’aligne aucun coureur sur le contre-la-montre…

Exact. Ni en individuel, ni en mixte où l’on est champions d’Europe. J’aurais aimé mais… La Fédération a décidé de se concentrer sur les Jeux olympiques et de mettre budgétairement les efforts sur cet événement. Il a fallu faire des choix. Je suis déçu mais là-aussi, je m’adapte.

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Voeckler survives chase to win his first Tour de France stage

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Tour de France stage five photo gallery by Graham Watson>>

July in France means one thing: almost as inevitable as the Tour de France taking to the road is the likelihood of the French housewives’ favourite, Thomas Voeckler, setting off on an almighty great suicide break that will inevitably come to nought.

Except the man who spends more time off the front of the bunch than the lead car had not read the script and finally landed his first Grand Tour stage when he took the fifth stage in Perpignan ahead of a fast closing bunch. Mark Cavendish finished third behind Voeckler’s breakaway companion Mikhail Ignatiev to keep a firm grip on the green jersey.

If fortune favours the brave then Voeckler is the living embodiment of the phrase, even if the results rarely match the effort. The former French champion and yellow jersey wearer is hugely popular in his home country and there were broad smiles all round on the podium, especially from Bernard Hinault.

Voeckler had set off early in the day in the company of Anthony Geslin (FdJ), Marcin Sapa (Lampre), Yauheni Hutarovich (FdJ), Mikhail Ignatiev (Katusha) and Albert Timmer (Skil-Shimano),

The expected catch from the bunch never materialised once the race turned away from the coast with 24 kilometres left to ride. Columbia and Garmin hit the front and attempted to raise some enthusiasm but left it too late to bridge the gap.

With Sapa dropped, the remaining five riders looked to have blown it when the cat-and-mouse stuff started six kilometres from Perpignan. Katusha’s Mikhail Ignatiev tried the only weapon in his armoury and sped off. They reeled him in, the speed dropped, everyone looked over their shoulder. Voeckler wasn’t about to get caught up in this cagey business having put all that work in. It’s not his style.

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The Frenchman kicked hard, the rest watched, and he was gone, leaving plenty of time to celebrate the victory ahead of Ignatiev and a fast-finishing Mark Cavendish, the green jersey weaving across the road as he lunged for the line.      

The opening stages have been gripping stuff and today’s was no different. Gusting crosswinds once they hit the coast road at Leucate caused carnage in the peloton as Astana, Saxo Bank and Caisse d’Epargne pressed on the pedals at the head of affairs and the inevitable split occurred.

It resembled the Tour of Flanders more than the Tour de France – apart from the sunshine, of course – and put a whole raft of riders on the back foot for the rest of the stage.

Who didn’t make the cut? Surprise, surprise, it’s Denis Menchov, having another nightmare after hitting the deck in the previous day’s team time trial (if you didn’t see it, the expression ‘he corners like he’s on rails’ applies to Menchov’s attempt at the left-hander. Sadly, Menchov’s rails went straight on).

Rabobank’s other big hope, Robert Gesink, had already crashed and was well adrift with two team-mates, holding the bars gingerly and grimacing in a manner that suggested a fracture. After the stage, Rabobank confirmed that he'd fractured his wrist and was out of the Tour.

Rabobank were having another disaster, along with around 40 riders in the second bunch. This did have the effect of making life easier for French fans at the roadside, however, as practically every member of this unfortunate group came from one of the home nation’s teams. Cofidis, Bbox, FdJ and Agritubel jerseys were much in evidence and easily identifiable.

Not that the French were bothered. Who cares who is at the back when Voeckler is at the front? 

Stage five: Le Cap d’Agde-Perpignan, 196km 1.    Thomas Voeckler (Fra) Bbox Bouyges Telecom in 4-29-35

2.    Mikhail Ignatiev (Rus) Katusha at 7secs

3.    Mark Cavendish (GB) Columbia

4.    Tyler Farrar (USA) Garmin-Slipstream

5.    Gerald Ciolek (Ger) Milram

6.    Danilo Napolitano (Ita) Katusha

7.    Jose Rojas (Spa) Caisse d’Epargne

8.    Lloyd Mondory (Fra) AG2R

9.    Oscar Friere (Spa) Rabobank

10.  Thor Hushovd (Nor) Cervelo all same time

Overall classification after stage five

1.    Fabian Cancellara (Swi) Saxo Bank in 10-38-07

2.    Lance Armstrong (USA) Astana at same time

3.    Alberto Contador (Spa) Astana at 19secs

4.    Andreas Kloden (Ger) Astana at 23secs

5.    Levi Leipheimer (USA) Astana at 31secs

6.    Bradley Wiggins (GB) Garmin-Slipstream at 38secs

7.    Haimar Zubeldia (Spa) Astana at 51secs

8.    Tony Martin (Ger) Columbia-HTC at 52secs

9.    David Zabriskie (USA) Garmin-Slipstream at 1-06

10.  David Millar (GB) Garmin-Slipstream at 1-07

20. Andy Schleck (Lux) Saxo Bank at 2-17

29. Carlos Sastre (Spa) Cervelo at 2-44

35. Cadel Evans (Aus) Silence-Lotto at 2-59

60. Mark Cavendish (GB) Columbia-HTC at 3-33

71. Denis Menchov (Rus) Rabobank at 3-52

154. Charly Wegelius (GB) Silence-Lotto at 8-09

Points classification

1. Mark Cavendish (GB) Columbia-HTC 96 points

2. Thor Hushovd (Nor) Cervelo 70 points

3. Tyler Farrar (USA) Garmin-Slipstream 54 points

53. Tom Boonen (Bel) Quick Step 5 points

King of the Mountains

Jussi Veikkanen (Fin) Française des Jeux

Best young rider classification

Tony Martin (Ger) Columbia-HTC

Thomas Voeckler's win will be hugely popular in France

"Hi Lance, it's still mine"

TOUR DE FRANCE 2009 LINKS

Tour de France 2009 - the hub: Index to reports, photos, previews and more.

STAGE REPORTS

Stage four: Astana on top but Armstrong misses yellow by hundredths of a second

LiveTour de France stage four TTT coverage

Stage three: Cavendish wins second stage as Armstrong distances Contador

Stage two: Cavendish takes first sprint

Stage one: Cancellara wins opening time trial

LATEST TOUR NEWS

Tour de France 2009 News Index>>

Analysis: Why Contador's chances rose when Armstrong missed yellow

Delgado criticises Astana for Armstrong manoeuvre

Armstrong: Gaining time on Contador was not the objective

Stage three analysis: Why the bunch split and who gained the most

The Feed Zone: Monday, July 6

Analysis: Why Columbia must expect to do the bulk of the chasing

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Jonathan Vaughters on Bradley Wiggins' chances

TOUR DE FRANCE 2009 PHOTOS

Stage four TTT photo gallery by Graham Watson

Stage three photo gallery by Graham Watson

Stage two photo gallery by Graham Watson

Stage one photo gallery by Andy Jones

Stage one photo gallery by Graham Watson

Team presentation by Andy Jones

Team presentation by Graham Watson

TOUR GUIDE Tour de France 2009 - the hub

Tour de France 2009: Who's riding

Tour de France 2009: Team guide

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The full squads for the Road and Para-cycling Road World Championships were announced on Tuesday afternoon

By Adam Becket Published 17 September 24

Gilet? Knee warmers? Gloves? As we enter transition, staying on two wheels isn’t up for debate

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Thomas Voeckler passe aux aveux

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La France a perdu son premier titre décroché l’an dernier aux Championnats d’Europe. Sacrés dans le relais mixte, les Bleus n’ont même pas aligné d’équipe. Un choix de la Fédération Française subie par Thomas Voeckler. « C’est pénalisant. C’est une décision qui a dû être prise. Ça ne me réjouit pas de ne pas avoir d’équipe au départ du contre-la-montre, que ce soit individuel ou du relais mixtes », a-t-il déploré, précisant que la FFC avait voulu donner sa priorité aux Jeux Olympiques.

Le succès y a d’ailleurs été au rendez-vous puisque Valentin Madouas et Christophe Laporte ont décroché l’argent et le bronze sur la course en ligne derrière Remco Evenepoel. Dimanche, le coureur de la Visma-Lease a bike défendra son titre de champion d’Europe remporté l’an dernier. Et pour l’épauler, le Varois pourra compter sur Hugo Page, Sandy Dujardin, Adrien Petit, Rémi Cavagna, Mathis Le Berre, Eddy Le Huitouze et Arnaud Démare.

Les noms ne sont pas forcément ronflants et n’étaient pas forcément les premiers choix. Mais Thomas Voeckler a dû composer avec de nombreuses défections. « Disons clairement les choses : avec les courses World Tour du Canada (vendredi et dimanche) et le Grand Prix d‘Isbergues (dimanche), ces championnats d’Europe doivent faire face à une vive concurrence », a-t-il confié dans les colonnes du Télégramme.

Ambitieux malgré tout

« Du coup, j’ai dû faire évoluer mes plans. Plusieurs coureurs auxquels je pensais faire appel n’ont pas été libérés par leurs formations. Oui, j’ai essuyé plusieurs refus. Je comprends la problématique des équipes de marques, je respecte leur position, ce sont elles qui payent les coureurs, a-t-il poursuivi . J’ai été coureur avec le même manager pendant 17 ans, je comprends tout ça. Je ne suis personne pour réclamer quoi que ce soit. Alors je me suis adapté à la situation, tout simplement. »

Pour autant, le sélectionneur tricolore se veut toujours autant ambitieux. « Ne me parlez surtout pas d’équipe de France B. Je ne suis pas frustré, je suis fier de l’équipe que l’on va aligner. L’équipe de France a de la gueule, a-t-il encore asséné.  Personnellement, j’aborde ce rendez-vous comme s’il s’agissait des Mondiaux ou des JO. Avec la même implication. Mes ambitions ? Gagner ! Si on n’y va pas pour la gagne, ce n’est pas ma conception du vélo. Avec le champion d’Europe sortant avec nous, ce serait une faute de penser autrement. »

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• Tour de France

Ch. d'Europe (H) : Voeckler fier de ses coureurs malgré tout

Mathieu Warnier, Media365 : publié le dimanche 15 septembre 2024 à 22h30

Alors que Christophe Laporte n'a pu faire mieux que neuvième lors des championnats d'Europe, le sélectionneur de l'équipe de France Thomas Voeckler a assuré que ses coureurs ont tout donné pour aller chercher un podium qui s'est refusé à eux.

Cette fois, la réussite n'a pas été au rendez-vous. Alors que l'équipe de France masculine de cyclisme restait sur deux médailles à l'occasion de la course en ligne de Paris 2024, les plans mitonnés par Thomas Voeckler n'ont pas été couronnés de succès, avec la neuvième place de Christophe Laporte comme meilleur résultat. Néanmoins, le sélectionneur des Bleus veut retenir de cette course remportée au sprint par Tim Merlier « la fierté du travail accompli par les coureurs ». A ses yeux, chacun a tenu le rôle » qui lui avait été confié, que cela soit « d'un point de vue collectif autant qu'individuel ». « Il faut accepter le résultat quand l'état d'esprit est comme ça, a ajouté Thomas Voeckler dans des propos recueillis par la chaîne L'Equipe . Ils ont tous fait leur travail. Quand ça a bougé, on était là. » A l'approche des 50 derniers kilomètres, le tenant du titre Christophe Laporte a pu se glisser dans une échappée de six coureurs aux côtés de Mathieu van der Poel, Mads Pedersen ou encore Danny van Poppel. « Christophe Laporte a même fait peur, de son propre aveu, a confié le sélectionneur national au moment de revenir sur cette tentative. Il était costaud. Je pense qu'il était le plus fort des six. Mads Pedersen avait déjà peut-être fait plus d'efforts. Martelant être « très fier de cette équipe », Thomas Voeckler n'a pas le moindre regret face à l'absence de podium à l'issue de ces championnats d'Europe.

Voeckler : « Oui, le résultat est frustrant »

« Il n'y aura pas une victoire ou une médaille à chaque fois, a-t-il affirmé. En termes d'état d'esprit et de déroulement de la journée, on voulait rendre la course incertaine, un peu difficile, un peu incontrôlable. » Pour cela, il a pu compter sur des coureurs dévoués tels Rémi Cavagna, dont l'objectif était « de refaire un reset au kilomètre 100 alors même qu'on a un coureur devant, qui ne passe plus ». Ce coureur, c'était Mathis Le Berre, dont le rôle n'était pas le plus simple selon son sélectionneur national. « A son âge, ce n'est pas facile pour Mathis Le Berre d'affronter le regard des autres en disant : « Si t'es devant, pourquoi tu ne roules pas ? », a admis Thomas Voeckler. S'il ne roule pas, c'est parce qu'il applique les consignes. » Malgré tout, il y a un sentiment de frustration dans le clan tricolore que l'ancien porteur du maillot jaune sur le Tour de France n'a pas pu cacher. « Oui, le résultat est frustrant. Arnaud Démare et Christophe Laporte sont très frustrés mais je suis très fier d'eux. Je n'ai que des félicitations et aucun reproche à leur faire. » En effet, Thomas Voeckler assure quitter la Belgique avec le sourire et beaucoup de fierté. « On ne va pas gagner ou faire podium à chaque fois mais on a le devoir de tout mettre en place pour faire le mieux possible et, aujourd'hui, c'est ce qui s'est passé », a-t-il conclu. Place maintenant à la préparation des championnats du monde, dont la course en ligne aura lieu le 29 septembre prochain sur un circuit exigeant tracé autour de Zürich.

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Voeckler suspended from Tour de France after moto stalls in front of Vingegaard

France Télévisions commentator penalised along with driver for one stage after stopping traffic on Col de la Loze

Former pro rider and current commentator for France Télévisions Thomas Voeckler has been suspended for one stage from the Tour de France along with his motorcycle driver Joël Chary for hindering race leader Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma) on the Col de la Loze.

The pair were also fined 500 Swiss Francs for the incident which came on stage 17 just before the summit of the hors category Col de la Loze, the highest of the 2023 Tour de France , with 8.4km to go.

Voeckler's motorbike stalled near the steepest pitch, a 24% grade, and blocked the race commissaire's car that was driving in front of the maillot jaune.

The result was momentary chaos as the crowds swarmed the incident. The car was soon able to move aside to allow riders through, but the mess held up riders behind including Thibaut Pinot (Groupama-FDJ).

Vingegaard's lead was unthreatened by the incident, and after the stage he had extended his lead to 7:35 over Tadej Pogačar. 

"It was definitely crazy, there was a lot of people - at one point I had to stand still because the car - that was unfortunate - but I guess that's what can happen when you put 20% gradients in the end of the Tour," Vingegaard said after the stage.

It's the second time of this Tour de France that motorbikes have interfered with the race on a major climb. On stage 14, a photographer's motorbike got hemmed in by spectators and prevented an attack from Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) on the Col de Joux Plane. That driver and photographer also received a fine and suspension .

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The mayhem hardly reached the level of that of the Mont Ventoux in 2016 when a motorbike stopped suddenly and race leader Chris Froome, Richie Porte and Bauke Mollema crashed into it. Froome, needing a new bike, ran up the Mont Ventoux on foot until he could get a spare from neutral service.

IT HAPPENED AGAIN! 😱 #TDF2023Insane scenes as @ChristianVDV gets stuck with Jonas Vingegaard behind a blockade of vehicles struggling to get through the fans on Col de la Loze! pic.twitter.com/wZEoSP0Pil July 19, 2023

.@ThibautPinot stopped on Loze by moto carnage 😭 @LeTour @GroupamaFDJ #TourdeFrance 🎥 @cottydale pic.twitter.com/EqDTxCnFcJ July 19, 2023

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Laura Weislo has been with Cyclingnews since 2006 after making a switch from a career in science. As Managing Editor, she coordinates coverage for North American events and global news. As former elite-level road racer who dabbled in cyclo-cross and track, Laura has a passion for all three disciplines. When not working she likes to go camping and explore lesser traveled roads, paths and gravel tracks. Laura specialises in covering doping, anti-doping, UCI governance and performing data analysis.

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Pauline Ferrand-Prévôt sélectionnée pour la course en ligne des Championnats du monde de Zurich

Dix ans après son titre mondial à Ponferrada en Espagne, la championne olympique de VTT cross-country Pauline Ferrand-Prévôt va retrouver la compétition sur route lors de la course en ligne des prochains Championnats du monde, le 28 septembre à Zurich (Suisse).

Comme nous l'annoncions le 1er septembre dernier, Pauline Ferrand-Prévôt fait bien partie de la sélection de l'équipe de France publiée ce lundi pour l'épreuve en ligne des Championnats du monde qui se dérouleront le 28 septembre prochain à Zurich.

Elle avait annoncé à l'issue des Jeux Olympiques, où elle a décroché la médaille d'or en VTT cross-country, qu'elle se consacrerait désormais à la route où elle avait débuté sa carrière. À 32 ans, elle a signé pour l'équipe néerlandaise Visma-Lease a bike à partir de la saison prochaine, mais c'est bien sous le maillot de l'équipe de France qu'elle participera à sa première épreuve sur route depuis son triomphe en VTT.

Kerbaol et Labous sélectionnées sur le contre-la-montre

Elle sera accompagnée par Cédrine Kerbaol (Ceratizit), vainqueure d'une étape du dernier Tour de France, Juliette Labous (DSM-Firmenich), Marion Bunel (St Michel-Mavic) et trois représentantes de l'équipe FDJ-Suez : Evita Muzic, Léa Curinier et Jade Wiel.

Cédrine Kerbaol et Juliette Labous participeront également au contre-la-montre individuel (22 septembre) et seront rejointes par Audrey Cordon-Ragot (Human Powered Health) pour le relais mixte avec les trois coureurs hommes, dont les noms seront dévoilés ce vendredi avec le reste de la sélection élite par le sélectionneur Thomas Voeckler.