That day, July 15, 2018, the Tour de France offered itself a crazy stage, on the cobblestones of the North, between Arras and Roubaix.
A mythical finish, falls in shambles, a fight in the general classification and the stage victory for John Degenkolb.
The German will not forget this success, just like Richie Porte or Rigoberto Uran, who lost the Tour after a crash that day.
Or Romain Bardet, who had launched a chase at breakneck speed so as not to waste time on Chris Froome after a puncture: "It's stages like this that make the legend of our sport".
A legend that has largely disappeared.
This northern hell
in the middle of the Tour de France has indeed evaporated in the paradise of forgotten stages.
The fault of an even bigger sporting event: the final of the last football World Cup, the same day in Moscow between France and Croatia.
The programming of this final on July 15, 2018 at 5 p.m., known for a long time, had already pushed the organizers of the Tour de France to bring forward the schedule for the Arras-Roubaix stage, which arrived shortly before 4 p.m.
“I have no memory of this stage”
Not enough to arouse the interest of some.
“I like cycling.
Normally, a stage like this, on a Sunday, with cobblestones, I would have watched it, recalls Simon, 29.
But I was already partying with friends while waiting for the World Cup final.
Honestly, I have no memory of this step.
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Unlike François, another sports fan from Lille.
“I remember that the day was very long while waiting for the World Cup final, I was oddly very stressed, says this forty-something.
I went to see the finish of the stage with my children near my home, in Roubaix, and it was the best possible decision!
It was very hot, we waited for the caravan, the children collected goodies, we encouraged Romain Bardet… It was fun, and above all, it passed the time while waiting for France-Croatia!
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For almost everyone in the end, the memory of the second world title of the Blues will remain stronger than this stage, however crazy.
But Wednesday for the return of the cobblestones on the Tour, there will be no round ball to compete with them.