Orica-GreenEDGE rider Daryl Impey finished Stage 6 as the first African rider to wear yellow in the Tour de France’s 100-year history, continuing a trend of globalisation in the world of cycling.
Cycling has traditionally been a European sport, with those outside of Europe struggling to break a foothold in the sport.
That was until 1981, when Phil Anderson jumped over a hurdle that none before him could, after becoming the first ever non-European to wear the yellow jersey at Le Tour de France, where that year he went on to finish 10th overall in the general classification.
However, the first real break through for non-European cycling was established in 1986, when American, Greg LeMond, won his first of three Tours in what was considered a landmark achievement that kick started the globalisation of road cycling.
Excluding the disgraced victories of fallen drug cheats Lance Armstrong and Floyd Landis, Cadel Evans became the next non-European to stand aloft the podium at the Champs-Elysees. In 2011 he became the first Australian to claim cycling’s most prestigious bike race.
While Daryl Impey cannot be mentioned in the same breadth of true champions such as LeMond and Evans, the South African certainly deserves his moment in the sun after becoming the first African to hold the Malliot Jaune at last night’s stage.
The 29-year-old South African took the coveted jersey off Orica-GreenEDGE teammate and Australian, Simon Gerrans.
But by keeping the jersey in the hands of Orica-GreenEDGE, Impey is continuing a truly remarkable tour thus far for the young Australian team, a Tour that has included two stage victories and a soon to be 3 days in the yellow jersey.
However, in greater significance to the cycling world was the fact that Impey’s taking of the yellow jersey means that Africa has become the fourth continent to gain possession of the Tour de France lead, and in doing so continuing a truly astonishing change at the top for world road cycling.
If we look at history the host nation of the Le Tour de France has dominated proceedings throughout the 100 years of the race, with France claiming 36 of the 100 editions of the famous race.
All of the other winners were also European up until 1986, when, as previously stated in this article, Greg LeMond of the USA broke a barrier for non-European cyclists by becoming the first Non-European to win the great race.
However no Frenchman have won in their home Grand Tour since 1985, when Bernaud Hinault completed the last of his five victories.
This, along with the many other changes to the road cycling throne discussed in this article, illustrate a change that has seen road cycling go from an almost purely European sport, to a now truly world sport.
The Tour de France now sees riders from all corners of the globe competing, an achievement that is only going to help the sport gain back some much needed popularity around the globe.
After the terrible damage caused by Lance Armstrong’s doping admission last year that saw the sport lose much of its already, this restores small amount of credibility.
Cadel Evans landmark triumph in 2011 saw the sport’s popularity among the Australian media, as well as participation numbers in the sport go from strength to strength.
After Impey’s latest success let’s hope a similar trend will emerge in the far away land of South Africa, hopefully resulting in a boost for the status of the sport in the rainbow nation, and thus an improvement in the popularity of cycling on our planet.
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