French cyclists hit again by the curse of the Tour de France

As the Tour de France reached its peak, two Frenchmen were in the running to win the biggest cycling race. But he did not have to be. Thibaut Pinot's challenge ended on Friday because of an injury, and then Julian Alaphilippe saw his advance collapse. Hugh Schofield of the BBC in Paris evokes 34 years of suffering.

Watching the Tour de France in France is not like watching it from your living room in London, Liverpool or elsewhere. Because it's not just a race that the French watch, it's a moment of cultural communion.

The perfect illustration is the presence in the comment area, next to the two race experts who tell you what's going on, a man who knows absolutely nothing about cycling. He is Franck Ferrand and he is a historian.

As the tour progresses on the motorways of the province of France and the helicopter flies over the landscape with breathtaking views of mountains, rivers and fields, Franck Ferrand speaks to the French about their country.

Look, he said, as the platoon pbades a castle outside the southern city of Nîmes. It is there that Louis XIV repressed the rebellion of the Protestant Camisards in 1709.

Friday, in the Alps, by sweating the pbad of Iseran, we learned the existence of the chain of forts built in the nineteenth century at the time when Savoy was still an independent duchy and of the scenic Arc River is 127.5 km away. and runs in Isère at Chamousset.

All this is totally irrelevant, but for the French, this is inextricably part of the experience. Because for them, the Tour de France is not only the biggest road race in the world, it is also a chance to look at each other and be very proud.

One thing would make them more proud.

And if only the gods of the French Republic let a Frenchman win again.

The last time was in 1985, before the birth of most runners today.

It was at the time when the French pre-Internet service Minitel seemed to be the last word in telecommunication; when the secret services detonated Greenpeace boats in New Zealand; and when the number one in France was the terrible Life is Life, by a group of Austrian mule heads known as Opus.

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Nothing since Bernard Hinault

Admittedly, there have been a lot of stage wins and a near collision with Laurent Fignon, who lost by eight seconds in 1989.

But a curse has fallen. This is not just allowed to happen.

Just as Yannick Noah will be the last French tennis player to win the men's championship at Roland Garros at the end of time, so it was decided that on the Tour, the French ran their race.

Others, including the vile ultra-professionals of the British Ineos team, will win the victory.

Oh, but like all France thought this week that the curse was finally broken. Between Julian Alaphilippe, the gobleman of Montlucon goat, and Thibaut Pinot, the climber of the Vosges, one of them was about to win the victory.

Everyone said it. Even bookmakers from London. A French victory really seemed to be the most likely result. Even if Alaphilippe is back in the Alps, well Pinot has not shown its brilliance in the Pyrenees?

And Ineos guys under boss Dave Brailsford seemed to be tactically at odds with each other. The anticipation here in Paris became distinctly pleasant.

Alas, poor France.

At the end of the dramatic stage of Friday until Tignes, stopped because of hail on the road one day after the heat wave, the dream was dying.

First, Pinot came out in tears with a torn thigh muscle.

Then Alaphilippe cracked and Brailsford's boys – Colombians Egan Bernal and Welshman Geraint Thomas – went ahead. After the ceremonial phase of Sunday, Bernal won the podium in Paris with Thomas in second place and Steven Kruijswijk in third place.

Well. It was a great tour.

The excitement was intense. Until the last day, several riders could still win. Just not a Frenchman.

The curse continues.