It’s a rest day, Monday July 18 on the Tour de France, the last before the Pyrenees, from Tuesday, and the arrival on the Champs Elysées, Sunday. And inevitably, it will do good for the organizations, after two weeks of a grueling Tour, especially for one rider in particular: Anthony Turgis is the last Frenchman overall, 146th at 3:35:12 in the yellow jersey. A status apart, unenviable and impossible to play it discreetly: “We always watch the last Frenchexplains Anthony Turgis. We take the newspaper, the French names are in bold, we can see very well who is last.
Anthony Turgis keeps smiling, but he lives a tricky ride. First gadin from the second day on the big bridge in Denmark. The second on the cobblestones of the North. The body is bruised, but he grits his teeth. “It’s a very tough Tour de France, explains the cyclist. I still have pain, even in the gestures of everyday life. I just have to stretch out a little and I feel that it pulls me on the side of the abs… Of course, it’s not easy. I hold on.”
Of course, at 28, the runner from Ile-de-France considered giving up. The days are sometimes very long, but on the side of the roads, he has somewhat become the “Ghislain Lambert” of this Tour, this dreamy cyclist worn by Benoît Poelvoorde in the cinema. A few weeks ago, the public only had eyes for its leader, Peter Sagan. But that was before. “It is surprisingexplains Anthony Turgis. In my first races at the start of the season, I heard three quarters of the public shouting ‘Allez Peter!’. There, I can say that it’s 50-50, but we’re still quite close!”
“I’m a little disappointed that it’s because of that. But on the other hand, it’s always a pleasure to be supported by the French public. I hope they will continue, and even when I’m no longer last.”
Anthony Turgis, cyclistat franceinfo
And who knows? After a good day of rest, Anthony, the puncher, will perhaps feel his wings grow and take the breakaway on Tuesday between Carcassonne and Foix.