Jacky Durand has not forgotten his first stage victory in the Tour de France. In 1994, the rider from Mayenne, now a consultant on Eurosport, won alone in Cahors. He had lost his breakaway companions less than 10 kilometers from the finish. Since then, the Tour has not arrived in the capital of the Lot!
Jacky Durand, it’s been 28 years since the Tour de France arrived in Cahors. How does it feel to be the last stage winner in town?
Whether I’m the last or not the last, it doesn’t change much. But it’s true that Cahors remains attached to my career. We don’t often have the opportunity to win stages in the Tour de France. And when you are lucky enough to win, in addition that year with the French champion’s jersey, there you go… I have been linked to Cahors indirectly since this victory in the 1994 Tour de France.
I am linked to Cahors
What memories do you have of that day?
It was a big day. I remember that I had really checked off this stage between Bergerac and Cahors. The day before, we had done an individual time trial where I was still more or less a specialist. But I preferred to do it quietly, this time trial, to be able to be really on top the next day, at the exit of Bergerac.
It happened as I wanted. That is to say that on leaving Bergerac, everyone had a little sore legs from the time trial the day before. We quickly left at four. I remember a course that was hilly. I knew the sprint teams weren’t going to really control on such a tough course. And then I remember, like yesterdayof my attack, about ten kilometers from the finish, when we were three or four in front.
Then afterwards, the great memory is the last climb and the last straight line in the streets of Cahors. With the voice of Daniel Mangeas (official speaker of the Tour) that I heard one kilometer from the finish, and who made the crowd go up.
At the time (and it’s topical this year) I was the first French winner on this Tour de France. We were expecting a first French victory in the 1994 Tour and I also brought it with the tricolor jersey, so these are great great memories.
When we see the images, we can see that you enjoyed this moment…
We all dream at some point, especially when taking our first cycling licence, of shining on the roads of the Tour de France. And there, in addition, I had the pleasure of being able to savor. It’s true that if we had reached three or four in the sprint, it would have been done in the last 200 meters.
I had the pleasure of being able to savor
There, I arrived a kilometer from the finish with enough lead to be able to manage the last kilometer and really savor this last kilometer with the crowd that had been there on the low side for many hours. It was very hot. I really relished until the finish line.
And you really like Occitanie… since in 1998 you also won at Montauban!
Yes, the Southwest works well for me. At the time, I lived not very far, in Limoges. It is true that these are courses that suited me. It shouldn’t be too hard for me, but also not too easy for the sprinter teams to control. So I had with steps to my liking.
And then for the little anecdote, it’s true that each time I won stages in line, it was the day after an individual time trial. I was doing the quiet chrono, and the next day attacks at 100% and each time under the big heat. The region suits me well!
This Friday, 19th stage of the Tour de France 2022 between Castelnau-Magnoac and Cahors. It will not frustrate you too much to leave your title of winner in the capital of the Lot?
No, it’s the opposite. I would like another Frenchman to succeed me. The stage will be a little different from 1994 because this year it comes from the South and will still be much flatter than the one proposed in 1994. We will see the scenario, but it will be good to have at least one co-winner in the streets of Cahors!