Almost 40 years have passed since on July 21, 1985, a cycling legend like Bernard Hinault climbed to the top of the podium Tour. At that time it would be strange to imagine this fact, but no Frenchman has won the race, their home race for all of them, since then. “El Tejón” or “El Caimán”, as he is known, achieved his fifth and last victory that year in the Big Boucle. He is tied with Merckx, Anquetil and Indurain as the riders who have won the Tour the most times, all of them five times. Hinault would like a compatriot to climb to the top of the podium in Paris. “Yes, of course I would love to. Even though people stopped remembering me,” he said years ago in an interview.
It was said by the best French cyclist in history, author of 10 feats in the majors: 5 Tours (1978, 79, 81, 82 and 85), 3 Tours (80, 82 and 85) and 2 Tours (78 and 83) Also winner in classics such as Paris Roubaix, Amstel Gold Race, Flecha Wallona, Liege, Lombardy and World Champion in ’80, his character defined him as a racer on and off the road. In 1986, Hinault placed second overall in the French round, one step away from the sixth title. The other French podiums since then were by Jean-François Bernard (3rd in 1987), Fignon, in 1989 (his striking defeat with Lemond in the time trial on the last day), Virenque (3rd in 1996 and 2nd in 1997), Peraud and Pinot (2nd and 3rd respectively in 2014), and Romain Bardet (2nd in 2016 and 3rd in 2017). Today, it seems difficult for the French to end this drought in the Tour.
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