Voeckler is the Housewives Favourite

The psyche of the French nation is often hard to encapsulate . One moment you are King, and the next moment you may have your head on Robespierre’s spike.

This psyche can manifest itself in unusual ways. Take Richard Virenque’s huge fan base in France - the French menopausal housewife.

Richard would cry on cue and then gush on live television: ”My stage win is dedicated to my dead Grandma… she died 10 years ago…sob. Wait. It is also for my coach who died while giving me an EPO transfusion…sob.” Swooning and baguette dropping in the kitchen will occur during Richard’s post win ritual.

The incumbent housewives favourite is Thomas Voeckler. He has perfected the fine art of putting on a show for the cameras. If he isn’t at the front panting and pulling faces, he is gliding at the back of the peloton looking for the moto 2 cameraman.

Yesterday was a perfect example. He was showboating and yelling like normal at the front in a breakaway, and then got outwitted by another Frenchman Roy on stage 5 of Paris – Nice.

Then in today’s stage he was soft- tapping around the back of the peloton. He fell and damaged his collarbone. Now he is in a Hospital in Orange. French TV crews and housewives are probably queueing outside the hospital at this very moment.

Poor old Thomas.

P.S. It is unfortunate that he is reported to have a bad collarbone break. I wish him luck with a speedy recovery.