Let’s be realistic, three quarters of the participants in the Tour of Normandy are not destined for a career at the highest level. However, some winners or leaders of the event evolve today in the best pelotons, take part in the biggest races in the world and are sometimes even recognized champions.
In this article, we looked at the cyclists who have marked the race over the past decade. Did they assert themselves at the highest level or were their Norman exploits the pinnacle of their career?
Küng and Dillier, little Swiss grown ups
Winner in 2014, Stefan Kung is, without a doubt, the one who has done the best after showing his advantage in the Tour de Normandie. At the time at BMC, the Swiss had crushed the Normandy week thanks in particular to a fiery prologue. the against the watch is his favorite discipline since he is five times national champion and reigning double European champion. Bearer of white jersey in his first Tour de France, he won a stage (Team Time Trial) in 2018. Today at Groupama-FDJ, he is one of the safe bets in the world peloton.
his compatriot Silvan Dillier has also made a name for itself internationally. Final yellow jersey of the Tour of Normandy 2013, he then won the Route du Sud, the Route Adélie, and notably won the national titles on the road (2017 and 2021) and against the clock (2015). His greatest feats of arms remain a stage victory in the Tour of Italy in 2017, and a second place on Paris-Roubaix (2018). His last seasons were unfortunately tarnished by numerous injuries.
– Andrzej Grygiel
Delaplace and Cousin, the confirmed
Anthony Delaplace (2017) and Jerome Cousin (2012) are the last two French people to have won the Normandy race. For the first city, it was a great offering from his Fortuneo-Vital Concept team, which had allowed him to establish himself on his land and thus fill his prize list. At the time, he was no longer a young wolf but rather a confirmed rider with five Tour de France on the clock. As for Jérôme Cousin, his highlight in the region allowed him to taste the Tour de France and the Vuelta on several occasions.
During the 2010s, another Frenchman put his name on the Tour de Normandie prize list, Alexander Blain. Winner in 2011, it came very close to a double two years later. Stage winner and wearer of the yellow jersey, he bowed for just three seconds to Silvan Dillier in an epic final stage. Despite these outbursts, the Niçois will not experience the joys of the biggest international races.
Claeys and Planckaert, Belgian sprinters in the background
During the past decade, the Tour of Normandy was won in pairs. Doubled French in 2011 and 2012, doubled Swiss in 2013 and 2014 and then doubled Belgian in 2015 and 2016. Dimitri Claeys and Baptiste Planckaert have subsequently achieved an honorable career, the first city participating in particular twice in the Tour de France and winning the Four days of Dunkirk under the jersey of Cofidis. As for Planckaert, he is not to be outdone, with a participation in the Giro.
– Thomas BREGARDIS
Stewart and Forfang, early end
For the last two winners of the Normandy stage race, the Briton Tom Stewart (2018) and the Norwegian Ole Forfang (2019), success has not been synonymous with a leap in their careers, quite the contrary. Both have already put an end to their adventure in cycling. For them as for the Dutch Ronan Van Zandbeekvictorious in 2010, the Tour de Normandie was the pinnacle of their professional life as cyclists.
They joined the world gratin
Round 2019: Alberto Dainese, Fabian Lienhard, Connor Swift, Brent Van Moer, Simon Pellaud, Markus Hoelgaard
Round 2018: Fabian Lienhard, Cees Bol, Matteo Moschetti, Kasper Asgreen, Jan Barta, Julius Van den Berg, Connor Swift,
Round 2017: Anthony Delaplace, Elie Gesbert, Pavel Sivakov, Damien Gaudin, Benjamin Thomas, Corentin Ermenault, Fabio Jakobsen, Chris Anker Sorensen, Connor Swift, Alexander Krieger
Round 2016: Cees Bol, Benjamin Thomas, Julius Van den Berg, Pascal Ackermann, Paul Ourselin, Corentin Ermenault, Markus Hoelgaard, Christopher Lawless
Round 2015: Maximilian Schachmann, Paul Ourselin, Pascal Ackermann, Jonas Koch, Xandro Meurisse, Dimitri Claeys,
Round 2014: Stefan Küng, Kévin Ledanois, Pierre-Luc Périchon, Anthony Turgis, Maximilian Schachmann, Dylan Teuns, Lilian Calmejane, Dylan Groenewegen,
Round 2013: Dylan Van Baarle, Stefan Küng, Rick Zabel, Magnus Cort Nielsen, Natnael Berhane, Perrig Quemeneur, Anthony Charteau, Alexis Gougeard, Anthony Turgis
Round 2012: Jerome Cousin, Dylan Van Baarle, Jasper Stuyven, Simon Yates, Bob Jungles, Jesper Hansen, Kevin Reza, Lawson Craddock
Round 2011: Luke Rowe, Jack Bauer, Ramon Sinkeldam, Tom Dumoulin, Arnaud Démare, Stéphane Rossetto,
Round 2010: José Herrada, Jan Barta, Jimmy Casper, Christopher Juul-Jensen, Adrien Petit
Follow the Tour of Normandy 2022 on France Bleu
From Monday March 21 to Sunday March 28, France Bleu is the official radio station for the 40th edition of the Tour de Normandie. Every day, follow the stage live and find the interviews of the animators of the race.