Tour de France: the Alps in the colors of Slovenia
Audio 01:24
Klement and his children changed their vacation plan to support Slovenian riders on the Tour de France roads.
Thomas de Saint-Léger / RFI
Text by: Thomas-Sean de Saint Leger Follow
5 mins
With Primoz Roglic in yellow and Tadej Pogaçar in 2nd place at the start of the 17th stage, the Slovenian flag has been flying high in the general classification, and for a few days along the French roads.
Like their runners, the country's supporters are much less discreet than usual, especially in the Alps.
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That was the plan: Klement and her two young children - a boy, a girl - were to spend a quiet vacation in Italy, in the Milan region.
And then the echo of the Tour crossed the Alps, bringing with it unexpected news: two compatriots at the helm of the greatest cycling race in the world.
Neither one nor two, the little family, flanked by a large white, blue, red flag, sets out.
"
We made up our mind on Friday morning, and after the next day, after lunch, we were off,
" says the father, who is also carrying out an old project: "
I wanted to go see the Tour for a long time, and this year, thanks to Primoz and Tadej, it was really the perfect opportunity.
As it was not planned, I could not book anything so we sleep in the car, but the children are super excited: for them, it's adventure
!
".
An adventure, and to tell in the playground, the funny story of this funny summer: two kids from their small country hazing the entire international peloton.
High profile performances
As big as Picardy, populated by two million inhabitants, Slovenia therefore provides the two best current riders of this Tour, and that with part of the atmosphere.
When they step off the podiums, Roglic and Pogaçar are now escorted by heavy applause, especially since the race is approaching the borders of neighboring Italy.
Along the roads, the country's flags, absent, or very discreet, from Nice on August 29, are more and more visible.
"
We are proud,
" said Inès in a Frenchman who was a little hesitant.
On a business trip to the Lyon region, she extended her stay to see these cyclists the whole country is talking about.
“
Every day there are direct television broadcasts, articles in the newspapers.
Cycling was already a fairly popular sport, but here it is stronger
", says this woman of forty years, for whom the secret of the talent of her compatriots is easily explained:"
We are small, then we want to show that we are at least as strong as the others.
And for her, between Pogaçar and Roglic, impossible to choose.
It will be necessary, however, in front of the fratricidal duel which is announced.
Inès and her companion attended the passage of the Tour de France in Ain, Sunday, September 13.
Thomas de Saint-Léger / RFI
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