 | VOECKLER FACTFILE DOB: 22/6/1979 Nationality: French Best Tour: 18th - 2004 |
Last year Richard Virenque handed over his crown as the darling of the French public to this young pretender. In 2004, nothing had been expected of Thomas Voeckler and the Brioches la Boulangere team.
But at the end of stage five he delighted his public by taking the leader's yellow jersey.
He had not been expected to hold on to it for long but defied his critics to continually impress and eventually finish 18th overall.
Few images are more memorable than Voeckler struggling up ascent after ascent with his yellow jersey gaping open and the Frenchman gasping for breath.
Simply put, his never-say-die attitude was breathtaking.
He proved himself to be a definite star of the future and possibly even a Tour winner.
MMIX
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