Fireworks! French win on Quatorze Juillet
David Moncoutié fulfilled a nation's hopes today when he won on the French national holiday Quatorze Juillet (Bastille Day) celebrating the famous revolution in the late 18th century. The Cofidis rider is sure to enjoy the obligatory fireworks tonight, as he achieved the first French win in this Tour de France. The prospect of victory, and the cheers of his fellow countrymen alongside the road made him stay clear of his chasers all the way into the finish, as Hedwig Kröner reports.
"It's fabulous," the 30 year-old said after his victory, and one could see that he had trouble believing it. "I'm just too happy, too happy!" Moncoutié scored his second stage win in the Tour de France today, the first one being the 12th stage from Saint Flour to Figeac in 2004, which he won under similar conditions.
"I saw that the ascent was fast and that everybody was riding flat out, so I knew that this was the moment to go," he said, describing his final attack on the Cat. 2 Col du Corobin with 37 kilometres to the finish in Digne. "I needed at least 20 seconds at the top, and I knew if I could keep a certain distance before the finish, they would look at each other."
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