Iain Morrison: French ready for cycle of disappointment

Published on Friday 27 June 2008 15:42

THE TOUR de France gets under way on Saturday. I once watched a stage in the flesh and in 40+ degree heat that flesh felt like it was melting. Even now I cannot begin to comprehend how the riders can spent up to seven hours a day in the saddle for two weeks, even with the drugs. The public love the tour because it is one of France's few truly global sporting events although the lack of domestic success is an annual topic across the chattering classes; a little like Wimbledon for us Brits.

The last successful Frenchman was Bernard Hinault who won the tour way back in 1985. With the exception of Laurent Fignon, who lost by just eight seconds four years later, no Frenchman has even come close and this year looks like being no different.

Australia's Phil Anderson, the first non-European to wear the yellow jersey, offered this theory: "French teams have so many foreigners these days, there is no longer any notion of a 'French' team."

Try telling that to Arsene Wenger.