Tour De France 2018 - Home Hopes Wither

Only a dogged resolve has kept Romain Bardet within reach of his rivals after he suffered a series of first-week misadventures. CW saw every pedal stroke and puncture

 

As the Tour de France travelled south from Roubaix to Annecy on Sunday night it was met in each market town, city and village with a continuous chorus of horns and tricolour flag waving. Shirtless Frenchman frolicked in fountains and atop cars and roundabouts as the nation engaged full party mode. But this wasn’t for the race, it was because France had won the World Cup with a 4-2 victory over Croatia.

By contrast, the home riders of the Tour de France had given the crowds precious little to cheer about during the Tour’s opening week. And the chances of them doing so in the coming two weeks were starting to seem increasingly small.

No spoils for the sprinters