'Us Africans love to run': Louis Meintjes evokes memories of Chris Froome with Tour de France jog
The South African was well-placed for a good stage result before a mechanical left him in his highest gear
It wasn't quiteas dramatic as Mont Ventoux, but Louis Meintjes evoked memories of Chris Froome on stage six of theTour de Francewhen he was forced to run the final 60 metres to cross the line at Planche des Belles Filles.
The Intermarché - Wanty - Gobert Matériaux rider looked like he was on course for a high-placing on the race's first summit finish, but the gravel sector that the final one kilometre was ridden on had other ideas.
A piece of loose rock flicked up off the road and tangled itself in the rear derailleur, prompting Meintjes' electronic gears to assume that he had crashed. It thus disconnected from the cage to minimise danger and prevented any further shifting.
With the gradients in excess of 20 percent, 30-year-old Meintjes had no other choice but to climb off his bike and run with it, while up to 10 other riders passed him. He eventually finished 51 seconds behindstage winner Tadej Pogačar.
"Yeah, us Africans, we love to run!" Meintjes chuckled when the comparison with the Kenyan-born Froome was brought up. "I ran, in the end, 50 metres, maybe even 60 metres. It was hard as I was almost losing a shoe too.
"I think it must have been just a bit too bouncy, or some gravel got stuck in the rear derailleur and it went into the crash mode setting. Already, at that moment, you needed special gears to go up as it's that steep.
“一旦开始改变,我做不到。我女as close enough [to the line] so either fixing it or running it [were his only options]. It was basically just going to be the same [time] as I'm not a mechanic so maybe it was quicker to run."
The combination of the punishing gradients and the uneven terrain thwarted Meintjes, but he was reluctant to suggest that the inclusion of gravel was not worthy in the Tour.
"There are a lot of unnecessary things in my opinion: flat stages, bunch sprints," he laughed. "So I guess this [the gravel] is just part of racing. Today wasn't so bad actually. I mean, it's a bit of gravel at the end of the race and it makes the race a bit more special. If I had to complain it would be more about putting cobbles in the race."
Meintjes is more than six minutes behind race leader Pogačar, and though he was able to see the funny side in his misfortune, he was also left cursing what could have been.
He continued: "My memories [of the climb] were worse. I had super good legs today and it's really disappointing it didn't happen in the final. It's really quite steep and you can't stand up or the tyres start sliding.
"At one stage I was considering trying something because I could see a lot of guys were struggling. Not [Primož] Roglič or the other guys, but the other guys who are real contenders for the top-10. Today could have been a good day to put time into them."
Thank you for reading 10 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just£1 / $1 / €1
Chris first started writing for Cycling Weekly in 2013 on work experience and has since become a regular name in the magazine and on the website. Reporting from races, long interviews with riders from the peloton and riding features drive his love of writing about all things two wheels.
Probably a bit too obsessed with mountains, he was previously found playing and guiding in the Canadian Rockies, and now mostly lives in the Val d’Aran in the Spanish Pyrenees where he’s a ski instructor in the winter and cycling guide in the summer. He almost certainly holds the record for the most number of interviews conducted from snowy mountains.
-
-
Review: rigid and roomy, Topeak’s unassuming Tubular Barbag may just be one of the best
We reviewed Topeak's newest bar bag, the Tubular Barbag. It's performed well and became an immediate favorite. Here's why.
By Samantha Nakata •Published
-
Naked Bike Rides take place the world over - here's why
The Summer Solstice once again saw people bare it all and bike through the streets of their cities. We explore this global phenomenon in which activism, community building and cycling collide.
By Hector Cervantes •Published
-
Tom Pidcock aims to go ‘a step further’ at Tour de France 2023
Ineos' Rod Ellingworth says British rider ‘still has some work to do’ in order to make GC push main objective
By Tom Thewlis •Published
-
Tour de France 2023 start list: All the teams' riders for the Grande Boucle
The full list of teams and riders competing at the 110th edition, which begins 1 July
By Adam Becket •Published
-
Which new national champions will be at the Tour de France and Tour de France Femmes?
There will be some new riders in distinctive jerseys in Bilbao this weekend, and in Clermont-Ferrand in a month
By Adam Becket •Published
-
Mark Cavendish confirmed for his final Tour de France as he hunts stage win record
Astana Qazaqstan head to Bilbao with squad split between sprints and general classification
By Adam Becket •Published
-
Egan Bernal returns to Tour de France for Ineos Grenadiers
Colombian part of eight-man squad along with Tom Pidcock, Dani Martínez and Carlos Rodríguez
By Adam Becket •Published
-
环法的五个不可错过阶段2023: From Bilbao to the Alps
There will be action across all 21 stages, but watch out for these five in particular
By Adam Becket •Published
-
Chris Froome not selected for Tour de France 2023
38-year-old misses out on 'ultimate goal' as Israel-Premier Tech confirm eight-man squad
By Tom Davidson •Published
-
21 riders to watch at the Tour de France 2023: It's not just Jonas Vingegaard and Tadej Pogačar
Who will stand out over the 21 stages from Bilbao to Paris? Here are Cycling Week's picks
By Adam Becket •Published