Invited Sunday by Charles Villeneuve, on Europe 1, the former President of the Republic Nicolas Sarkozy drew up the list of cyclists who made him vibrate the most.
He cites in particular the five-time winner of the Tour Bernard Hinault, the Spaniard Ocaña, or even Richard Virenque and Lance Armstrong.
INTERVIEW
Passionate about cycling since his childhood, Nicolas Sarkozy is still today a fervent fan of bicycle races, and more particularly of the Tour de France. A passion that he has accepted to evoke at the microphone of Charles Villeneuve, in the first issue of the
Great Interviews of Europe 1
. Drawing up the list of his favorite riders, he confesses in particular a preference for Bernard Hinault, "undoubtedly the greatest French cycling champion of all time".
"I loved Luis Ocaña, Eddy Merckx's opponent," says Nicolas Sarkozy.
The Spaniard, winner of the 1973 tour, was the main competitor of the "Cannibale" in the 1971 edition, until his fall in the Col de Menté, which forced him to retire while wearing the yellow jersey.
"It was a tragedy," recalls the former president.
Despite the disgrace of Lance Armstrong, stripped of his seven Tour titles for doping, Nicolas Sarkozy has never hidden his admiration for the American rider, and in particular for his return to the highest level after his illness.
"When he came back from hell, that is to say from his cancer, it absolutely blew me away," he recalls.
Richard Virenque, "a magnificent climber"
As for the French champions, Nicolas Sarkozy believes that Bernard Hinault and his five Tours de France "is undoubtedly the greatest French cycling champion of all time". Even more than the immense Jacques Anquetil? "For me, yes," replied the guest from Europe 1. "It was still a time when international competition was less fierce than that which Hinault had to face." At the time of Bernard Hinault, he continues, "there was already an internationalization of the Tour, which is not that of today, but which had started".
Another runner admired by Nicolas Sarkozy: Richard Virenque.
The climber, very popular, had signed a resounding return after his suspension for doping after the Festina scandal in 1998, winning in particular on the classic Paris-Tours, rather reserved for sprinters.
"After all these stories that we had put on his back, he won Paris-Tours, the flattest race that can exist when he is a magnificent climber," our guest still enthuses today.
"The exploits of Guimard"
And Nicolas Sarkozy to continue to unroll the long list of his idols.
"I loved the story of the Madiot brothers, with these legendary Paris-Roubaix, the exploits of Guimard, who was nevertheless a sprinter capable of winning mountain stages. I admired Eddy Merckx, but also all the Flandrians like the De Vlaeminck brothers. "
Still a regular spectator of the Grande Boucle, the former president says he is impressed today by the world champion Julian Alaphilippe, and also expresses his affection for the climbers of Groupama-FDJ: Thibault Pinot, David Gaudu, but also Valentin Madouas.