During the World Cup when France is playing the bars are packed. That is far from the case during this bike race, even with two French riders strong possibilities to end France’s 34-year drought of not winning their Race. French fans flock to the road sides when The Tour passes near as an act of pride in their great national pageant, but as far as the outcome, there is no massive upheaval of interest. Television ratings are up, but not to the roof as one would imagine.
Devoted fans and the cycling press are certainly excited at the prospect of a French winner, but this rapture has not swept up the nation as a whole. The French have become so accustomed to their racers being also-rans, they no longer embrace cyclists as universal sporting heroes, and the two generations since Hinault’s win have not been ingrained with a passion for the sport. A similar transformation has happened in the US with baseball. A French person with some interest in baseball visiting the US during the World Series might expect an intense focus on what was once known as the country’s “national pastime” and be surprised that not all that many care.
There were only four of us watching today’s first of three dramatic stages in the Alps at a bar in Le Caylar, while outside in front in the finally moderating temperatures the tables were packed with no one even peeking in to check on what was happening.
If they cared they would have been celebrating Alaphilippe clinging to the Yellow Jersey. After being dropped in the final kilometer to the summit of the Galibier he overtook all but Bernal among those with a threat to him with a daredevil descent to the finish, retaining his margin of over a minute, but over Bernal now, who attacked three kilometers from the summit and gained 32 seconds on Alaphilippe and Thomas, moving into second five seconds ahead of his teammate.
It was a great day for Colombia. Before Bernal made his attack, Quintana had attacked his breakaway companions who were five minutes up the road from the Bernal/Alaphilippe group on the Galibier and went on to win the stage and put himself back into podium consideration. The last twenty minutes of the stage two Colombians were on center stage, each riding away from packs they had ridden with much of the day. And not to be forgotten, Uran finished with the Pinot/Thomas group. In the overall Colombians rank second, seventh and ninth.
Movistar took some heat for setting the pace with Quintana up the road and Thomas too for chasing after Bernal, but both acts were designed to crack Alaphilippe, priority number one. They eventually succeeded, but not soon enough. They did wear down Alaphilippe, and each expenditure of energy adds up. Before the stage Alaphilippe acknowledged, “I’m tired like everyone else is. It’s not just that every minute of rest counts, it’s almost every second at this point.”
Despite three big climbs the stage did not lend itself to delivering any knockout blows since it did not end at a summit, as the next two will. Alaphilipe did not break but he did crack, losing twenty seconds in the final kilometer to the summit when Pinot took off and put him under pressure. All well know that Alaphilippe is a daredevil descender few can match, so they knew he would recoup time on the descent. That knowledge no doubt made his competitors keep their powder dry until the next two stages that finish at the top of a climb when they can rid themselves of Alaphilipe and not worry about him catching up. Alaphilippe being so dramatically dropped in that last kilometer will embolden his adversaries to attack much sooner on the next two stages and bring his reign in Yellow to an end.
This stage only heightens the suspense, as it did not emphatically answer the question of who is the strongest. Bernal made a strong bid for that honor, but Thomas and Pinot both showed strength once they decided to accelerate two kilometers after he sped off. Either of them could be capable of such a move in the two remaining stages in the mountains. It could come down to the final 22-mile climb to Val Thorens to end Saturday’s stage, the day before Paris. All could be on the line then. If it is, every bar should be standing room only.
I’ll be watching the next two stages in the same bar in
Le Caylar while I take a break from the travel presentations being given all day long by touring cyclists and others at this five-day Slow Travel Festival set to begin tomorrow. I’m camped a mile out of town in a communal campground of fellow attendees. It always gives the heart a lift to see a bike with a front rack, wondering where all it has been. My heart has been soaring seeing so many, as cyclists from all over have begun gathering.
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