Jumbo-Visma’s Primoz Roglic and Wout van Aert have worked doggedly to help reel in the isolated UAE Team Emirates riderThe history of the Tour de France is marked by what French observers refer to – while licking their lips – as bouleversements, when the obvious race scenario is turned upside down in an unexpected and dramatic way. One of those great upsets took place this week, when the wraith-like Dane Jonas Vingegaard dislodged the race’s No 1 favourite, Tadej Pogacar, whose domination of the first 10 days had led most onlookers to predict a seamless third overall title.Mostly, the Tour proceeds according to a formbook that is written early on; usually, the race belongs to the favourite who performs best...
It has been 36 years since the country’s last victory in the men’s race – and it is hard to see who can stop it from becoming 37Every Tour has its earworm and this year’s nifty little number, Tibopino, is out there on YouTube, dedicated to France’s Tour hero Thibaut Pinot. “Allez Pinot,” the singer intones, adding one of the best – or worst, depending on how you see these things – puns to grace the French language: “Sur un vélo, t’es beau, Pinot.” You look good on a bike, Pinot.There is a more telling line in the song, however: “ça fait longtemps depuis l’Blaireau” – it’s been a long time since the Badger – referring to the 36 years...
The Tour always throws up surprises but it is hard to see anyone who can go head to head with the dominant Slovenian It is rare for any cyclist to win the Tour de France twice, which is why it marks the point where a rider is truly established as one of the biggest names of the great race. A third Tour win is different again, however: only the very greatest have managed the feat. That is why the next four weeks hold such significance for Tadej Pogacar.Win that third Tour and “Pog” will be elevated to a select pantheon. The five-times winners – Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault, Miguel Induráin – are well known, while the disgraced former...
The 26-year-old from Perth followed in Cadel Evans’s footsteps by becoming just the second Australian man to win a grand tourFor over a decade now, Cadel Evans has stood alone in Australia’s cycling pantheon as the only Australian to have won a cycling grand tour. With a history that dates back to the early 1900s, across a collective 288 editions of the Tour de France, Giro d’Italia and Vuelta a España, only once had an Australian stood atop a grand tour podium at the end of 21 gruelling stages.No longer. On Sunday, Hindley matched Evans’s historic 2011 Tour de France triumph with Giro d’Italia glory in Verona. The 26-year-old from Perth, who says that being a professional cyclist was all...
A second place finish in 2020 appears to have been no fluke with the 26-year-old again within touching distance of victory in this year’s raceOn Monday, Australian cyclist Jai Hindley made headlines for his peculiarly Australian turn of phrase. During the final rest day of the Giro d’Italia, the gruelling three-week Italian grand tour, Hindley was asked about his prospects with just a handful of seconds separating him from the hallowed pink leader’s jersey.“Yeah for sure, 100%,” said a confident Hindley. “Like, we’re not here to put socks on centipedes. We’re here to win the race. So yeah, why not?” His remarks clearly baffled the foreign journalists in attendance, one of whom asked him to clarify. “It means we’re not...