As the peloton swaps the fresh yet constricting air of the Pyrenees for the Alps, the chests of French cycling enthusiasts might also be getting a little bit tighter this week.
Hearts will be beating that little bit faster among both the riders and intrepid – some would say rabid – supporters iconically placed along the roadside of the Tour de France as the race heads into the penultimate stages.
For the riders this is because the end is in sight, but so are the ominous heights of the Alps. There are three mountain stages in a row from July 25-27 to come, three of the Tour’s final four days, with two of them – Tignes and Val Thorens – also tumultuous mountain-top finishes.
For the fans, meanwhile, though they may not be pushing their bodies to the limit in quite the same way, nerves are frayed and hearts thumping nervously. Particularly those fragile French hearts who feel that maybe, just maybe, nearly four decades of hurt is coming to an end.
For 34 years cycling’s greatest spectacle – indeed one of sport’s greatest – has not had a champion of its own. The Tour de France remains the most exciting, gruelling and amazing event sport has to offer. And yet it has lost some of its own identity in the barren years since Bernard Hinault lifted the last of his five titles in 1985.
Le Tour has been won by 23 French riders in all, between them taking 36 wins. Both are records. To put that in context the next three countries with most success – Belgium, Spain and Italy – have produced 18, 12 and 10 champions respectively, just four more than France’s total of 36.
Julian Alaphilippe is defying the odds in a bid to become the Tour de France’s first home champion in 36 years.
And yet, 34 years have passed since one of their own was enveloped by yellow at the final finish line.
In that time the two other Grand Tour races – the Giro d’Italia and Vuelta a Espana – have produced a total of 25 home winners; the Giro 14 and La Vuelta 11.
As for Le Tour, winners over the last 36 years have come from Britain, the United States, Germany, Italy, Spain, Australia, Ireland, Denmark – even Luxembourg.
Laurent Fignon is the closest France has come to ascending to the No1 spot on the podium since Hinault reached such heights. He agonisingly finished just eight seconds adrift of American Greg LeMond in 1989, the Californian powering to three titles in five years.
And yet there appears something special about this year’s race – one that has been so open from the start and that some say has been designed by organisers to finally deliver a home champion.
Whether this is the case or not, a flurry of Frenchman have certainly risen to the occasion on what is the 100th anniversary of the leader’s yellow jersey being introduced to the race.
Among the peaks and high altitude, Deceuninck-Quick-Step’s Julian Alaphilippe has been a breath of fresh air. Although not deemed a mountains specialist the Saint-Amand-Montrond man has adorned yellow for 11 of the 15 stages so far, and the last eight straight, winning two individual stages – as well as finishing an impressive second to compatriot Thibaut Pinot atop the Col du Tourmalet on Saturday’s Stage 14 in the perilous Pyrenees. He was also sixth behind winner Dylan Teuns on Stage 6, the inaugural mountain stage.
A puncheur by trade – someone who specialises in rolling terrain with short, steep climbs – overall Tour de France glory would normally seem beyond Alaphilippe.
He showed his first signs of cracking on Stage 15, finishing 11th and seeing his advantage over Simon Yates, Pinot, Mikel Landa, Egan Bernal, Geraint Thomas, Steven Kruijswijk and Alejandro Valverde eroded.
But there is something distinctly abnormal about the 27-year-old’s stubborn pursuit of the title. He is continuing to hang tough with the mountain men who litter the General Classification’s top 10 – like reigning champion Thomas and Pinot. Alaphilippe is the only one who isn’t an expert climber or a noted all-rounder.
But he is in the form of his life, coming into this year’s race having claimed the Milan-San Remo, Strade Bianche and La Fleche Wallonne titles.
Prêt pour tout donner dans les Alpes ! Merci les copains pour aujourd'hui et encore à vous tous pour le soutien.. @deceuninck_qst @LeTour 📷@getty pic.twitter.com/qEJNZRntrn
— Julian Alaphilippe Officiel (@alafpolak1) July 21, 2019
Pinot has burst into contention in recent days, helped by his terrific triumph on the iconic Tourmalet. He was second to Yates the following day, the Melisey man putting more time into his rivals as he shot up to fourth. He’s now 1’ 50” adrift of his fellow countryman’s lead and hopes have surely switched from a place on the podium (he was third in 2014) to overall glory.
As if to force home the French feel-good factor even more, Warren Barguil, Guillaume Martin, David Gaudu (second behind Bernal in the young rider category) and Romain Bardet – runner-up in 2016 and third the following year – are all placed inside the top 20.
After a flat stage in Nimes to gently ease the peloton back into proceedings on Tuesday following the second and final rest day, Stage 17 takes the race into the Alps at Gap, followed by treks to Valloire and the Col du Galibier which climbs to a breathtaking 2,642m on Stage 18.
Stage 19 takes the riders on another gruelling slog up the Col de l’Iseran – the Tour’s highest peak this year at 2,770m – towards Tignes.
The penultimate Stage 20, meanwhile, drags riders up to Val Thorens – famous for being Europe’s highest ski resort. Any one of the main protagonists failing to ascend its 2,365m summit will find themselves on a slippery slope down the standings.
Pinot seems to be peaking at the right time and appears the strongest climber right now, but former soldier Alaphilippe is well drilled and will want to produce a final charge.
If either of them can provide a fruitful finish, France will flip.
