LE LIORAN, France, July 14 (Reuters) - On the Tour de France's first rest day on Monday, French rider Baptiste Veistroffer — 149th in the general classification — was busy signing autographs and posing for photos with children in the square outside Aurillac's town hall.
While the 26-year-old may be well down in the race, more than two hours adrift of Slovenian leader Tadej Pogacar, his two long breakaways so far on his Tour debut earned him the combativity award for the first week of the race.
"There's growing enthusiasm and passion from the French public, which makes me happy. But I'll remain true to myself," Veistroffer told reporters. "I just want to be myself, bring joy, and share moments with fans."
Despite not wearing any of the race's distinctive category jerseys or finishing higher than 81st on any stage so far, the Lotto-Intermarche man has become a fan favourite.
Since the start of the season he has ridden about 2,253 kilometres in breakaways – at least 500 km more than any other professional cyclist.
On the Tour's fifth stage Veistroffer rode solo for 144 kilometres, and two days later he followed up with a 157-kilometre run in the breakaway, both times eventually being reeled in by the peloton.
"It's incredible to be in the biggest race in the world as a Frenchman in France," Veistroffer said. "In those moments you think about all the training, the sacrifices, and the beauty of the landscapes you're navigating. It's a privilege."
Veistroffer, nicknamed "Le Sanglier de Fouesnant" — The Wild Boar of Fouesnant, his hometown in Brittany — relishes the physical and mental challenge of being at the front.
"You go through every emotion," he explained. "Sometimes you'll notice the scenery, or your mind drifts to random thoughts like forgetting to do the shopping. Then in the next moment it's: 'Push harder!'"
Veistroffer's love for adventure also extends to bikepacking trips, including journeys to Thailand and the United States. "I have multiple hats in cycling: team player, breakaway specialist and adventurer," he said, mentioning upcoming plans to explore Vietnam and Laos.
Despite the public plaudits, Veistroffer still has his feet on the ground. "Winning would be amazing, though it's the Tour — victories don't come by chance here," he said. "You need to be a big name, and I'm still far from that."
(Reporting by Vincent Daheron in Le Lioran; Editing by Hugh Lawson)
