Vauquelin shines at the Tour de France: Is he the new Voeckler?

Vauquelin shines at the Tour de France: Is he the new Voeckler?

The Tour de France 2025 will provide exciting moments and big surprises. Kévin Vauquelin, the young French professional cyclist, has established himself as third rider in the overall ranking after the first week and is proving that he belongs to cycling's elite. After an impressive second place at the Tour de Suisse, he has already won a stage in this Tour and has proven himself to be serious competition for the best. Jérôme Pineau, a former professional and teammate of Thomas Voeckler in 2004, sees Vauquelin's development as similar to that of Voeckler back when he captivated the spectators with his performance and won the hearts of the fans. Pineau highlights that Vauquelin is attracting attention from major competitors and still has great development potential.

The 24-year-old took part in his first Tour de France just a year ago and won a stage straight away. His last race was a challenge: in the 33-kilometer individual time trial in Caen he had to compete with riders like Remco Evenepoel and Tadej Pogačar. Vauquelin managed to fight his way into the top five and finished the time trial in an impressive fifth place. But the demand for more performance is increasing – as Vauquelin himself notes, he “needs to work even harder” to improve further and consolidate his ranking.

Advancement in the overall standings

Vauquelin, who is the best young rider on the bike in his white and black suit, is pleased with his current success. At the finish in Caen he celebrated with the enthusiastic fans who supported him as a home player. Although he ultimately had to give up the lead in the youth classification to Evenepoel, he was able to improve by two places in the overall ranking. Only 49 seconds separated him from the stage winner, which shows that he was catching up quickly. His performance could give him the momentum he needs to further prove himself in this year's competition.

But a look at the average statistics of tour riders, which have changed in recent years, shows how complex professional cycling is. Drivers these days are not only bigger, but also lighter. The average participant is currently changing continuously, and the body mass index (BMI) is also on a downward trend. This could potentially impact competition, particularly when it comes to equal opportunities. Jonathan Vaughters suggests introducing a “salary cap” in professional cycling to level the playing field.

Conclusion and outlook

With the door to the top of the world wide open, Kévin Vauquelin will now be put to the test once again as the Tour de France continues to gain momentum. How this young talent development unfolds will be followed with excitement. The tests in the coming days could be crucial for the entire season and Vauquelin seems determined to remain visible in the peloton. A good hand in the next stages could finally catapult him into the spotlight. One thing is certain: the cycling community is following the events with great attention.

For more information and details about the exciting Tour de France, visit the following pages: RMCSport, Cyclingnews and Cycling racing bike.