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.
nickyc
Guest
To be more specific I think the real shift in the past decade has been from the traditional cycling powers of western continental Europe to the anglo-saxon nations: principally Oz, GB and the US.
Cripes
Guest
No one will remember whether Gerro held yellow for 2 or 3 days. I reckon Gerro is all class and Daryl is becoming a class act. Watch how hard Impey leads out Gerro for the rest if the tour. Great publicity for the team and just adds to their culture.
liquor box
Guest
I don't think that anyone will remember Gerrans as having held the yellow jersey for two days. He will just be remembered for wearing it. The only time you get remembered is if you hold it when you should have lost, if Gerrans got through a few mountain stages with it he would be remembered. At the end of his career he will have a pretty good resume, and one extra day in yellow will not make him any better. If anything, getting the jersey through a team time trial lessens the achievement. His team won the jersey! Gerrans will have a stage at all grans Tours, 5 stage races, 3 single day races and perhaps his greatest achievement winning the Milan San Remo. One more day means nothing. If anything he should have considered losing by 15-20 minutes and having a crack at a stage in the tour
Abdu
Guest
I don't agree that Gerro is extremely well known in Europe, this stage win sure has given him a massive boost and would probably be more than enough to set him up, but it just seems if he had worn the jersey for 3 days straight he'd be truly made. Gifting the jersey seems a waste when you consider what little it achieves. Growing a 1% penetration by 5 times is awesome, but it's still only 5% of the market who's heard of him. Good on the Saffies for punching well above their weight, but having the RSA media all over you for a day is not worth jack when their market is tiny, and the sport of cycling ranks behind soccer, rugby and cricket. Cadel's 'rise' in a much larger market to this blip in a nothing market is comparing apples and goju berries. Granted he has a MSR, but I just keep thinking there is a big difference between a stage winner and a yellow jersey winner. Ronan Pensec is a classic one who has milked a life out of burgling a GC lead and holding the yellow jersey for several days. Top 20 in the world (my own view) ahead of Gerro would be: Contador, Cavendish, Wiggins, Sagan, Nibali, Froome, Boonen, Cancellara, Voeckler, J Rod, Valverde, Greipel, Gilbert, Tony Martin, TJ Van, Hesjedal, even Jens Voigt, Thor Hushovd, Taylor Phinney, Roelandts and Pierre Rolland (not even including any amount of dodgy Italian 'ex' dopers still racing). That is based on guesstimate of total numbers and sponsorship (European & North American $), and the fact that Europe is a lot bigger market than the UK and a billion times bigger market than RSA or Australia. Gerro might make it in the top 40 for pulling power?
Bones506
Roar Guru
His Twitter account has climbed by 8,000 people overnight SOphie Smth has also noted that there ha been massive interest in him wearing yellow.
Matthew Boulden
Roar Guru
Firstly, Orica are the title sponsors of Orica-GreenEDGE and they operate not only within Australia but abroad as well, including Africa. So to say that it is against the interests of the sponsor for Daryl Impey to wear the Malliot Jaune seems wrong, in my opinion. I would actually argue that Orica could well be profiting from all the positive brand exposure, in at least South Africa, that the historic event is generating. Yes Ryan helps fund Orica-GreenEDGE but usually if you are the primary title sponsor of a cycling team, as Orica are, then you are also providing the most sponsorship money for the privilege. Second, you only need to look as far back as the 2013 Giro d'Italia to find an example of a prominent team and team leader bestowing the privilege of wearing the race leader's jersey to a lesser known team mate. Technically Sky Pro Cycling were aiming to give the Maglia Rosa (Pink Jersey) to a different rider on the team in the Italian Dario Cataldo, but in the end it still ended up on the shoulders of another Italian Sky Pro Cycling rider in Salvatore Puccio with their Stage 2 Team Time Trial victory.
BrewCX
Guest
Africa is actually the Fifth continent to have a Yellow Jersey. Europe, Australia, North America, South America, Africa. Colombian Victor Hugo Pena won the Maillot Jaune for 3 days in 2003. Since no- one remembers this, it tells you how important Impey's MJ is to anyone but himself.
Bones506
Roar Guru
Are you serious - if anything Gerran's value for sponsors and companies has gone up - he has shwon to be a selfless individual and a true sportsman. Not many of them around these days. Whilst a lot of people don't know who Impey is in Australia, He is the first African rider to wear Yellow and it shows a very strong, selfless team dynamic where each rider appears to be valued - not the case in most other teams. Africa is a growing market. 90% of Australian's didn't know who cadel was when he won the World Champs. They knew him when he won yellow. The SA media are all over Impey. To your point about Gerrans being set up - he already is. He is on around 700k pa from OGE and add sponsorship and prize money on top of that. Gerrans would be a top 20 rider in the world. He is extremely well known in Europe - he has won MSR and stages in each grand Tour (prior to this years TDF). You win a classic and stages in Grand Tours and you are well known.
Anthony
Roar Rookie
Tough but fair from a fans/sponsors view. From a teammate view though, the positive long term affect within the team may be greater than the short term negatives raised above. Bloods culture infecting OGE?
Abdu
Guest
Gerro is nuts, and Whitey should have stopped him. Dumb move. The value of a yellow jersey for 3 days straight is too much for Gerro to gift. Admirable though it was, fact is Impey is a journeyman who gets rewarded by staying on the team. Harsh, but there's plenty of domestiques out there but not many like Gerro. You don't see Contador or Froome handing their yellow jersey over to a domestique, ever. A nice watch is normally the reward. Dumb. The personal reward to Gerro of being a 3 days yellow jersey wearer is incredible, he would have been set up for life in Europe and professionally back here. He's just gone back to possibly being a mildly interesting quirky sportsman, most wouldn't know him if they fell over him. Cadel is a Grand Tour winner, which is a whole different level and recognisable home and abroad. Dumb. Gerro owed it to himself, and the fans, to keep that yellow jersey. OGE are silly too, no one knows who Impey is in Australia and the value to the team in Gerro staying in yellow is lost. Sponsors will simply tell them Impey doesn't register for them. Dumb. Who gives a fat rats tossbag about the first African yellow jersey winner anyway? 99.9% of Africans sure don't. It's rubbish to think it's even a growth market for the UCI. Leave that goal to some other puts, there's an African team anyway. Dumb. A day ago I was in awe and very happy, today I am p1ssed off.
zacbrygel
Roar Guru
Ye sorry about that Aaron. I was trying to purely analyse the effect of Impey taking the yellow jersey on world cycling, but probably should've mentioned Greipel's dominant victory somewhere in the piece.
Aaron
Guest
bet chris froome was thinking he'd be the first, nice job OGE. no mention of greipel's victory though
Bones506
Roar Guru
Gerrans went to Matt White and asked if it was okay to pass the Jersey onto Impey. Gerrans is absolute class.