If the start of the Tour de France took place in Italy, it is the French who have shone so far. After the incredible coup of the DSM team which offered the stage victory plus the yellow jersey to Romain Bardet, Saturday, in Rimini, Kévin Vauquelin (Arkéa-B&B Hotels) imitated his compatriot by winning the second stage in Bologna.
Starting in the breakaway, the 23-year-old rider eliminated his companions one by one to cross the finish line alone. The Grande Boucle had not seen two French victories in the first two stages since 1968.
1968 – This is the first time since 1968 that the first two stages of an edition of the Tour de France are won by French riders.
– 1968 : Charly Grosskost (x2)
– 2024: Romain Bardet and Kévin VauquelinPleasure. #TDF2024 pic.twitter.com/h859Qfg5lB
— OptaJean (@OptaJean) June 30, 2024
At the time, Bic team rider Charly Grosskost had won both opening stages. He first won a 6-kilometre prologue in Vittel, before winning on the second day in a flat stage between Vittel and Esch-sur-Alzette, a city in Luxembourg. Extending to the entire post-World War II period, this was only the third time that such a Tour start had happened for the French.
In 1961, André Darrigade had won in Versailles. On the same day, a stage 1 bis took place, a time trial won by Jacques Anquetil who took advantage of it to take the yellow and not let go until Paris. During the first editions of the biggest cycling competition, the peloton was much less international and most of the victories were French, and a French double happened much more often.
