Last tricolor rider to have worn the leader’s pink jersey on the Tour of Italy, Laurent Jalabert was erased from the shelves on Saturday by Bruno Armirail (Groupama-FDJ).
The statistics will have lasted a long time. Very long even since since the beginning of the 21st century, no French runner had ever managed to do as well as Laurent Jalabert. The one who is today the star consultant of France Télévisions with regard to cycling races, was thus the last tricolor to have worn the pink jersey, synonymous with first place in the Tour of Italy. A fact dating back to the year 1999. It will therefore have been necessary to wait twenty-four years for Laurent Jalabert to finally be erased from the shelves since on Saturday, Bruno Armirail donned the colored tunic.
A totally unexpected masterstroke for the Groupama-FDJ rider who had the good idea to place himself in the right breakaway during the fourteenth stage of the Giro which took place between Sierre and Cassano Magnago. Finally ranked fifteenth on the finish line, fifty-three seconds behind the winner of the day (Nico Denz), Bruno Armirail especially benefited from the fact that Geraint Thomas (INEOS Grenadiers) decided to get rid of the pink jersey at the start of the daytime. Probably eager to recover a little freedom for the next few days of racing, the Englishman therefore made the Frenchman happy.
” I can not believe it “
Asked about the stage of the day, Bruno Armirail did not hide his surprise to find himself in the lead of the Tour of Italy, he who also showed a big smile to have arrived there. ” I was very far from imagining taking the pink jersey tonight. I can’t believe I’m taking it today. It became a reality in the last five kilometers, but if not before, I absolutely did not think about it. I was thinking above all of the stage victory. I can not believe it. The successor in title to Laurent Jalabert will therefore have at least a day to take advantage of his new tunic. Unless the appetite comes and pushes him to fight to keep it a little longer.
