• Australian Michael Matthews won the 14th stage of the Tour de France this Saturday at the top of the Laurent Jalabert climb in Mende.

  • Thibaut Pinot, Franck Bonnamour and Benoît Cosnefroy were part of the good breakaway, but they couldn't keep up with the stronger ones when the attacks started 50 kilometers from the finish.

  • With seven stages remaining until the Champs-Elysées, the French riders are still looking for their first victory in this edition.

We don't want to sound pessimistic, but here we are really starting to get into the hard part.

We believed it, however, after the first third of this 14th stage between Saint-Etienne and Mende, on Saturday.

Thibaut Pinot, Benoît Cosnefroy and Franck Bonnamour in the good move on the road which leads to the famous climb Laurent Jalabert, there was enough to lick your chops.

Failed again.

The last two dropped very early after Michael Matthews' first attack, 50 km from the finish.

As for our national Tibopino, we figured out pretty quickly that he didn't have the legs of his life.

Result, a 3 place on the finish line, and still no French victory in this Tour de France 2022.

Frustrating, but the free spirit of Groupama-FDJ did not have (too many) regrets on arrival.

" I am very disappointed.

It was really complicated today, I was in the strongest breakaway of the Tour I think [23 men including guys like Kamna, Powless, Sanchez, Mollema, Uran, Geschke, Fuglsang or Bettiol].

I knew it would be difficult to get on foot with everyone.

They burned me well at 50 terminals, and after that it was difficult.

But there's not much to regret, I didn't have great legs so I did with my means", debriefed the one who has already raised his arms three times on the Grande Boucle (2012, 2015 , 2019).

As if the lack of pep wasn't enough, Pinot had a sign that big on his back as he snuck into the lead group.

If there were any customers, the best climber, on paper, was him.

“No team had any interest in bringing me to the foot with them, he agrees.

It was very tactical, they let Stefan [Kung, his teammate] work.

It's understandable, it's the game."

It is the second time in this Tour that the Frenchman has not gone so far, after his exit against Bob Jungels during the 9th stage towards Châtel, last weekend.

He was back at 30 seconds, before getting stuck.

Not a Frenchman has done better since, even if Warren Barguil set off the crazy stage towards the Col du Granon on Tuesday.

It will not be enough to save the balance sheet if we leave it at that.

It is the first time since 2016 that no representative of the nation has won after 14 stages, and the specter of the only two editions without a French victory (1926 and 1999) is slowly beginning to hover over this Tour.

“A bit of success, a bit of luck, a bit of legs”

In defense of the French, two of his best chances are not there.

Sprinter Arnaud Démare, triple winner of the Giro two months ago, was not in the plans of Groupama-FDJ, refocused around David Gaudu for the general.

And above all, above all, Julian Alaphilippe did not return to form in time to be there.

He is the last Frenchman to have raised his arms, during the very first stage of the Tour 2021. For their part, Romain Bardet and David Gaudu, therefore, are blocked by their presence in the top 10 of the general.

Guillaume Martin and Warren Barguil were put out of the race by the Covid.

So there are not many people left to go and smack a little one.

And then, for the moment, it does not want to smile.

The French are often at the wrong time, and if they are in the first nine attempts at the start of the stage, the tenth will be the good one.

“It lacks a bit of success, a bit of luck, a bit of legs.

A bit of everything, sums up Thibaut Pinot.

To win on the Tour, you have to have the right elements with you.

This is not the case for the moment, but we must keep hope.

In the seven stages that remain until the Champs, we see three where it could match, with imagination:

  • The 16th between Carcassonne and Foix, Tuesday.

    A few passes to make the selection, but not too hard, and an arrival not judged at the top but after a long descent.

  • The 17th between Saint-Gaudens and Peyragudes, Wednesday: four demanding passes, the last of which is not too long and with high percentages, ideal for developing a long shot.

  • The 18th between Lourdes and Hatacam, Thursday: Two out-of-category climbs, but with space to anticipate the fight for the yellow jersey between Pogacar and the Jumbo.

“I'm waiting for the Pyrenees, I think it will be better.

The breakaways will be hard to take, but we will try again, ”announced Pinot, who did not lower his head.

Neither did its leader, the best in the rest of the world behind the Vingegaard and Pogacar rockets in the final on Saturday.

“I was revengeful for Alpe (d'Huez), where I hadn't given everything.

So I let go of the horses and when I see what it does, it makes me want to, it gives me confidence and I can't wait to be in the Pyrenees,” said David Gaudu.

Our Tour de France dossier

We can also think of Tony Gallopin or Aurélien Paret-Peintre, who on a good day are quite capable of playing up front.

Come on gentlemen, the nation is counting on you.

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  • Tour de France 2022

  • Thibaut Pinot

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  • Romain Bardet