Jérémy Roy 'The King of Mountains' not too happy with his third position in 2011 Tour de France
FDJ team’s Jérémy Roy started the 2011 Tour de France in an attacking form right from the first stage 1 and in the 4th stage won the award for most aggressive rider. Roy was looking good at the 13th stage before he was finally caught
by Thor Hushovd, who won the stage with David Moncoutié at the second place.
The 28-year-old Frenchman a professional cyclist in 2004 and continued his studies at French National Institute of Applied sciences before he finally graduated in 2007. Roy managed the 4th position in the 2006 Tour de Picardie despite the fact
that he had to split the time between studies and cycling. He won his first stage of 2011 in Grand Prix la Marseillaise in January 2011.
Roy won the award for most aggressive rider and enough points to take the lead in Polka Dot Jersey classification at the end of 13th stage.
Roy admitted, “The disappointment is too great” he said “I’ll find it difficult to digest. It doesn’t matter if you win a little or a lot because it’s only the win that counts.”
Roy was a minute ahead at the descent and it was very much possible for him to take the lead, but he lost it at the two climbs near to the entrance of Lourdes. He did not seem very happy with the Polka Dot Jersey, as he was keen to bag a stage win, which
he had hoped for at the end of the 13th stage.
After the end of the 13th stage, Roy commented, “I did not really care about the polka-dot jersey when I went in the break I wanted the stage win. I know I’m not a great champion and I have to do what I can with my ability, so I try and it still
failed”.
Statistically, Roy has been the most attacking rider of this year’s Tour de France, more than any other cyclist.
Roy has launched the attack in both the 12th and 13th stages of the Tour, the two mountain stages of the Tour and yet there is a big question mark if he is able to retain his Polka Dot jersey. Roy needs to get his strengths back for
the stage 14 and it is quite doubtful that Roy’s tired legs will allow him to show his true ability before the Tour hits Paris.
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