Sunday afternoon, two Slovenians climbed the two highest steps of the final podium of the Tour de France, after three weeks of racing.
On the other hand, there was no French in the top ten, a first since 2013.
DECRYPTION
The Tour de France started three weeks ago and from the first few meters of the race came back images of last year.
Julian Alaphilippe with the yellow jersey for two weeks, Thibaut Pinot, his fist clenched, at the top of the Tourmalet ... Images that fed a hunger for French victory in this unprecedented edition, due to the coronavirus crisis.
Very quickly, however, hopes flew away and new images replaced the previous ones: Julian Alaphilippe less sparkling and Thibaut Pinot and Romain Bardet, on the ground, following a fall.
For the French, it's a Tour to forget.
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Guillaume Martin, who was the last French hope for a long time, finished 11th, a better place than last year alone.
"Yes, there is regret", confides the rider of the Cofidis team, "but I still think I have improved".
"Without worries related to equipment and falls on the second part of the Tour, I think I had the top 10 in my legs, the frustration is rather there," he still analyzes.
"The place to aim for the podium with 100% runners"
In the final classification, no Frenchman is in the top ten.
A first since 2013. "It's a year without," admits Tour director Thierry Gouvenou.
The latter tries to find explanations, arguing that the French "may have managed the confinement period less well", and feeds some regrets: "There was room to aim for the podium with 100% runners".
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In the absence of a podium, cycling France has to be content this year with two stage victories and a yellow jersey worn for three days by Julian Alaphilippe.
Slovenia, she placed two riders on the two highest steps of the podium.