Last Sunday in Nice, the Tour de France delivered its verdict, closing 3 weeks of competition during which the Team brilliantly shone at the highest world level. Thanks not only to some incredible individual performances, but also, and above all, to a real collective strength. A look back at the Tour de France 2024 of the Team TotalEnergies.
On the attack on the Italian roads
Right from the start in Italy, the Team showed its mentality, which would last throughout the 21 stages: be offensive, take risks and try its luck in breakaways. Sandy Dujardin and Mattéo Vercher were at the front on the first stage, as was Jordan Jegat on the second, who finished just outside the top 10. On the final 100% Italian stage, it was Fabien Grellier who made a long solo breakaway, winning the combativity prize. The Team leaves Italy with a convincing first run and a clear vision for the future of the race.
Many positive results for the Team…
Mattéo Vercher was once again at the front on stage 5, and the riders from the Team began to achieve good positions as the flat stages continued. Already in the top 15 a few days earlier, Anthony Turgis put in another solid sprint on this stage (14th), while Sandy Dujardin finished 12th the following day. In the time trial on stage 7, Steff Cras put in the team’s best performance and moved closer to the top 20 overall. The following day, Anthony Turgis confirmed his current excellent form by finishing 7th in Colombey-les-Deux-Églises. And the best has yet to come…
…Before the crowning for Anthony Turgis!
The following day, for stage 9, the last of this first week, the Team faces the white roads around Troyes. Unpredictable and unprecedented, this stage promises a crazy scenario, which will ultimately benefit the Team. The breakaway, which included Anthony Turgis, managed to brave all the white roads and hold off the chasing groups. The outcome of this epic stage came down to a sprint between a small group of riders, with Anthony Turgis emerging as the big winner, more powerful on the final stretch! Our rider achieved the greatest success of his career, and let his emotions explode after the finish line, congratulated by all his team-mates. This victory, the first for the Team in the Tour since 2017, already gives this 2024 edition a feeling of success, even as the first week draws to a close with a gigantic and matchless performance.
Numerous attempts in the breakaways as Steff moves up the overall ranking
The second week began with a flat stage at the end of which Anthony Turgis finished 20th, while Steff Cras broke into the top 20 overall for the first time. The following day, it was the slopes of the Massif Central that awaited our riders. Mattéo Vercher once again went on the offensive, and Steff put in a fine performance by moving up 3 positions on the overall classification. This was followed by two stages that promised to be sprinter’s stages, during which the Team was once again one among the main animators, with Thomas Gachignard and Anthony Turgis on stage 12 and then Mathieu Burgaudeau and Fabien Grellier in the final of stage 13, at the end of which Steff Cras was 15th overall, before attacking the Pyrénées. On the first Pyrenean stage, it was Fabien Grellier who represented the Team in the breakaway, before Jordan Jegat and Steff Cras both put in strong performances (21st and 24th respectively). The following day, the route continued to climb, with almost 4800 metres of elevation gain. Jordan Jegat and Mathieu Burgaudeau were part of the morning breakaway and produced a fine performance at the finish, finishing just behind Steff Cras, who remains 15th overall. Now it’s time for a well-deserved second rest day.
Thomas Gachignard combative, Mattéo Vercher very close to an exploit
Promised to be a stage for sprinters, stage 16 got underway just after the intermediate sprint under the impulsion of one man: Thomas Gachignard. Our 23-year-old rider broke away from the peloton on his own and put on quite a show, staying alone in the front for almost 70km, winning the combativity prize without a doubt. The following day, the finish in Superdévoluy once again smiled to the Team: Steff Cras finished 15th and Jordan Jegat signed his first top 10 in the Tour de France. The following day, the hilly profile of stage 18 offered a final opportunity for the riders to show their mettle. The Team understood this and managed to put 4 riders in the breakaway, including Mattéo Vercher. At the age of 23 and riding in his first Tour de France, Mattéo finally took second position in Barcelonnette. Obviously very emotional and frustrated after the finish line, Mattéo nevertheless put in a tremendous performance. Just behind him, Jordan Jegat, Steff Cras and Mathieu Burgaudeau all finished in the top 25. The Team also won the title of best team on stage 18, underlining the superb performance of an entire squad.
8 riders at the start, as many at the finish
To finish on a high note, two big mountain stages followed. Steff Cras and Jordan Jegat once again proved their worth on these two very demanding stages, with the 25-year-old Frenchman securing a spot in the top 30 on his first appearance in a grand tour. In the final time trial, Mathieu Burgaudeau took 30th place, just ahead of Jordan Jegat and Thomas Gachignard. Steff Cras moved up one position to 16th overall, a superb performance just a few months after his heavy crash in Itzulia Basque Country. For another rider in the Team, it was a completely different victory that was savoured at the end of this time trial. Injured in the wrist since stage 8, Sandy Dujardin managed to reach Nice despite a certain handicap, showing tremendous dedication. Among the 22 teams taking part in the Tour, only 3, including Team TotalEnergies, made it to the finish line with still 8 riders. A tremendous collective performance that reveals a great deal about the state of mind that energised the team over the 3 weeks.
Throughout the 3 weeks of competition in the Tour de France, the Team remained true to its values, taking risks and being offensive. Rewarded by its first success in the Grande Boucle since 2017, the Team had a particularly successful Tour, thanks to a fantastic teamwork and an irreproachable mentality. Steff, Jordan, Mathieu, Sandy, Anthony, Mattéo, Fabien and Thomas, thank you and well done for this Tour de France 2024, you were fantastic!
