Top 10 French cyclists of the 21st century: Many came close to ending the wait for French Tour winner, but it's the classics where France shined!
Cycling
France is one of the greatest powers in the history of cycling. However, the greatest legends they have had go back years. That is why in this article we want to talk about the best French cyclists of the current century. The figures of Julian Alaphilippe, two-time world champion, Romain Bardet or Thibaut Pinot, who have been on the podium of a Grand Tour, stand out in particular.
Despite having countless Tour de France winners, they have not won the Tour de France for more than 40 years. For the moment, it does not seem that there are no candidates for the next editions but we will see in a more distant future. Outside of three-week races, the French riders have been quite successful in the classics, particularly thanks to Alaphilippe and Christophe Laporte.
1. Julian Alaphilippe
- 2 Gold medals in the World Championships road race
- 3x Flèche Wallonne
- 6 stages at the Tour de France + 1 mountain classification
- Milano-Sanremo
- Clasica San Sebastian
- Strade Bianche
- Tour of California
- 4 stages at the Itzulia Basque County
- Tour of Britain
- 3 stages at the Tirreno-Adriatico
- Brabantse Pijl
2. Romain Bardet
- 2nd at Tour de France (+ 4 stages) + 1 mountain classification
- Tour of the Alps
- Stage at the Vuelta a Espana
- Tour de l'Ain
- 2nd in a World Championships road race
- Valence Drôme Classic
- Faun-Ardèche Classic
- 2nd at a Critérium du Dauphiné (+1 stage)
- 2nd in Liège-Bastogne-Liège
3. Thibaut Pinot
- Il Lombardia
- 3 stages at the Tour de France (+ 3rd overall)
- 2 stages at the Vuelta a Espana
- Milano-Torino
- Tour of the Alps
- 2x Tour de l'Ain
- Critérium International
- Mountain classification at the Giro d'Italia (+ 1 stage)
- 2 stages at the Tour de Suisse
- 2 stages at the Tour de Romandie
- 1 Tour of the Alpes-Maritimes and the Var
4. Sylvain Chavanel
- 3 stages at the Tour de France
- GP Ouest France - Plouay
- 2x Driedaagse De Panne-Koksijde
- 2x 4 Jours de Dunkerque
- 4x Tour Poitou-Charentes in Nouvelle Aquitaine
- Tour of Belgium
- Circuit de la Sarthe
- Twice 2nd at the Eneco Tour (+ 2 stages)
- Brabantse Pijl
- Dwars door Vlaanderen
- Tour of the Alpes-Maritimes and the Var
5. Arnaud Démare
- 8 stages at the Giro d'Italia + 2 points classifications
- Milano-Sanremo
- Vattenfall Cyclassics
- 2x 4 Jours de Dunkerque
- 2x Paris-Tours
- 2x Brussels Cycling Classic
- Tour de Wallonie
- 3x GP d'Isbergues - Pas de Calais
- 2x GP of Denain
- 2x Tour Poitou-Charentes in Nouvelle Aquitaine
6. Warren Barguil
- 2 stages at the Tour de France + 1 mountain classification
- 2 stages at the Vuelta a Espana
- GP Miguel Induráin
- Tour du Limousin
- Stage at the Tirreno-Adriatico
- 2nd in the Tour of Norway
- Tour de l'Avenir
- 2nd at the Royal Bernard Drôme Classic
- 2nd at the GP de Wallonie
- 3rd at the Tour de Suisse
7. Thomas Voeckler
- 4 stages in the Tour de France + 1 mountain classification
- GP Quebec
- GP Ouest France - Plouay
- 2x Tour of the Alpes-Maritimes and the Var
- 2x Tour Poitou-Charentes in Nouvelle Aquitaine
- 2x La Route du Sud Cycliste - La Dépêche du Midi
- 4 Jours de Dunkerque
- Brabantse Pijl
- 2x GP du Morbihan
- 2 stages at Paris-Nice
- Tour of Luxembourg
8. Tony Gallopin
- Clasica San Sebastián and two times 2nd
- Stage at the Tour de France
- Stage at the Vuelta a Espana
- Etoile de Bessèges - Tour du Gard and three times 2nd (+ 3 stages)
- GP de Wallonie
- Stage in Paris-Nice
- Flèche d'Emeraude - Saint Malo
- Stage in the Tour of Luxembourg
- Stage in the Tour du Limousin
9. Christophe Laporte
- Gent-Wevelgem
- Dwars door Vlaanderen
- Gold medal at the European Championships road race
- Stage in the Tour de France
- Tour of Denmark
- Paris-Tours
- GP de Wallonie
- 2x Tour de Vendée
- 2 stages at the Critérium du Dauphiné
- Etoile de Bessèges - Tour du Gard
- Tour Poitou-Charentes in Nouvelle Aquitaine
- 2nd at the World Championships road race
10. Guillaume Martin
- Mountain classification at the Vuelta a Espana
- Giro della Toscana (+ 1 stage)
- Tour de l'Ain (+ 1 stage)
- Circuit Cycliste Sarthe - Pays de la Loire (+ 1 stage)
- Mercan'Tour Classic Alpes-Maritimes
- 3rd at the Critérium du Dauphiné
- 2nd at the Drôme Classic
- Tour du Gévaudan Occitanie
- Stage in the Tour du Limousin
Ondrej ZhasilCycling Journalist
Ondřej Zhasil is a cycling journalist at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2023. He is based in Ostrava, the third-largest city in the Czech Republic, and covers professional cycling across the main UCI competitions, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España. A key focus of his work is startlist analysis and pre-race coverage, where he examines team selections, rider line-ups, and tactical scenarios ahead of major events.
Alongside WorldTour coverage, Ondřej has developed specific expertise in junior cycling and in racing across East Asia, including competitions in China and Japan. He also maintains a broad working knowledge of other disciplines and levels, including cyclocross, while continuing to expand his understanding of mountain bike racing.
Ondřej holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Physics, which supports his analytical, data-driven approach to performance and race analysis. In his reporting, he regularly uses ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available.
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