Svein Tuft: the Tour’s lanterne rouge
Canadian wins sentimental distinction in Paris
When Chris Froome was crowned the 100th Tour de France’s winner Sunday, he finished 167 places ahead of 36-year old Canadian Svein Tuft, the modern era’s oldest Tour rookie. The Orica-GreenEdge rider completed the race dead last, the spot traditionally called the lanterne rouge after the red light at the end of the train, although it’s a category not recognized officially by Tour organizers.
The lanterne rouge used to be a category celebrated by the Tour, but it’s become a spot recognized only by the fans and media, who acknowledge the courage and determination needed to finish the race. In the past the lanterne rouge would be given lucrative post-Tour criterium contracts, invitations to the short-course races financially crucial to a rider’s season.
However, now it seems to be a sentimental category rewarding a rider for simply surviving. One hundred and ninety-eight riders started the race three weeks ago in Corsica and thirty crashed out or withdrew; Vacansoleil’s Lieuwe Westra abandoned Sunday with 40-km remaining on the Champs-Élysées. Tuft, however, stuck it out withstanding crashes and 3,403 km of racing.
Tuft was integral to Orica-GreenEdge’s Stage 4 team time trial win that put Orica riders in yellow for four days. He also came in sixth place in the Stage 11 individual time trial. Throughout the final two weeks, Tuft was involved in a lanterne rouge “battle” with two Kazakhs on the Astana team, Assan Bazayev and Dmitriy Muravyev, and Argos-Shimano’s Tom Veelers, who abandoned.
The last-place distinction can sometimes be deceiving, giving the appearance that a rider had a lousy Tour. But a list of lanterne rouge winners reveals good bike riders, such as Jimmy Casper and the swashbuckling Jacky Durand. Surely Wim Vansevenant’s three straight lanternes from 2006 to 2008 are a testament to his pluck.
Tuft said he just wanted to get to Paris, to receive the full Tour experience of grandeur and madness. Like the accomplishments of all the other 167 riders, his should be celebrated.
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