Virenque's lucky number 7
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ByEurosport
Published 22/07/2004 at 19:01 GMT
The 2004 Tour de France is shaping up to be a record-breaking year -- but not just where Mr. Armstrong is concerned. Frenchman Richard Virenque is just three days from lucky number seven in the King of the Mountains competition, which would put him on a s
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Six times (1994, 95, 96, 97, 99, 2003) the 34-year-old Virenque has climbed the final podium in Paris as the race's King of the Mountains, a record shared with Federico Bahamontes of Spain (1954, 58, 59, 62, 63, 64) and Belgian Lucien Van Impe (1971, 72, 75, 77, 81, 83).
After Thursday's five-summit Stage 17 -- the final high-mountain day of the 2004 race -- Virenque (Quick Step) is now mathematically guaranteed a record-breaking number seven.
Here, in his own words, are Virenque's reactions and emotions after earning yet another polka-dot prize.
"It's now clear that with the stage I did today, I cannot be caught anymore. My omnipresence at the front helped me win that jersey."
"That jersey means a lot to me. My first was in 1994 and it's ten years ago already. It's been ten years and I'm still around. I won a stage again, like I did last year and the year before."
"I rode in the [Miguel] Indurain era and now in the Armstrong era. When I saw Armstrong win the Tour the way he started winning it, I knew my chances of overall victory had gone."
"I reverted to that polka-dot jersey which is a great satisfaction and it suits me just fine."
"I don't know if I'll do this again next year. The more the years go by, the more difficult it gets. I'm getting old. We'll see."
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