Thomas Voeckler
French road racing cyclist
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Key Takeaways
- Thomas Voeckler ( French pronunciation: [tɔmɑ vœklɛʁ] ; born 22 June 1979) is a French former road racing cyclist, who competed professionally between 2001 and 2017, for the Direct Énergie team and its previous iterations.
- Early life Born in Schiltigheim, Bas-Rhin, Voeckler has been a professional cyclist since 2001.
- Career Early years In 2003, Voeckler won two stages and the overall title in the Tour de Luxembourg.
- After seizing the French National Road Race Championships, the lightly regarded Voeckler entered the 2004 Tour de France.
- Remarkably, he defended his jersey for ten days, even on stages not well-suited to his strengths.
Thomas Voeckler (French pronunciation: [tɔmɑ vœklɛʁ]; born 22 June 1979) is a French former road racing cyclist, who competed professionally between 2001 and 2017, for the Direct Énergie team and its previous iterations.
One of the most prominent French riders of his generation, Voeckler has been described as a "national hero", due to strong performances over several years in the Tour de France.
Early life
Born in Schiltigheim, Bas-Rhin, Voeckler has been a professional cyclist since 2001. He comes from the Alsace region of France but later moved to Martinique, where he was nicknamed "Ti-Blanc" (a contraction of petit blanc, the literal translation of which is "little white") due to his small stature and pale complexion.
Career
Early years
In 2003, Voeckler won two stages and the overall title in the Tour de Luxembourg. The following year, he suddenly rose to international prominence in the world of cycling. After seizing the French National Road Race Championships, the lightly regarded Voeckler entered the 2004 Tour de France. After escaping with five other riders during the fifth stage, Voeckler gained significant time against the peloton, and earned the yellow jersey (French: maillot jaune). Remarkably, he defended his jersey for ten days, even on stages not well-suited to his strengths.
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