Who is Jacky Durand ?
Jacky Durand is born the 10.of February 1967 in Laval in Mayenne.
He became professional at the team Castorama in 1990.
Jacky is known for being a great fighter, who's never afraid trying
to do the impossible, like when he won the Tour of Flandern after a 195km
long solo break.
He has after that victory made long breaks and a great desire for
attack his trademark.
He once said in an interview: "I don't mind being beaten, what I
hate is being beaten when I haven't tried.
Jacky is also known for his cheerfulness, his great sense of humour
and his irresistible charm, which make him a very popular person in the
peloton, among journalists and viewers.
He always has a wisecrack for the journalists, even after a tough
mountain stage.
So everything Jacky does, whatever it's a race or an interview it
always has a high value of entertainment.
Highlights from Jacky Durand's career
Jacky Durand became professional in 1990 at the team Castorama, which
he was riding for until 1995.
When he was connected with Castorama, he became French champion
twice in 1993 and 1994.
(Champion de France 1993
and 1994).
In 1992 he also won the Tour of Flandern
after a long solo break.
In 1994 he won the 10.stage in the Tour the France in Cahors (Cahors
1994).
In 1995 he won the prologue in the Tour de France, so he wore the
" yellow jersey" on the first two stages. (Le Tour
the France 1995).
In 1996 he changed to the team Agrigel-La Creuse- Fenioux, which
he was riding for one year.
(Agrigel-La Creuse-Fenioux 1996)
In 1997 he changed to the team Casino-c'est votre équipe.
1998 was a great year for Jacky. In the Tour de France he won the
8.stage in Mantauban and he also won the price for the most "aggressive"
rider, the "Cæur de Lion" (Tour de France 1998).
The 4.of October he won Paris-Tours, as the first French rider in
42 years, after he had been the most energetic in a 10 riders break, wherefrom
he broke out 23 km before the finish line and was joined by Gualdi (Polti)
5 km later.
At l'avenue Grammont he defeated Gualdi in a long spurt and won.
(Paris-Tours 1998)
In 1999 he changed to the Belgian team Lotto-Mobistar.
In the Tour de France Jacky unfortunately had an accident on the
2. stage, which could've ended far worse than it did, when a Mapei service
car didn't discover he was laying on the road, and almost ran him over.
Because of that accident, he got a large loss of time and ended
up on a very "colourful" last place.
This year he also won, richly deserved, the "Cæur de Lion"
price, and therefore was nicknamed "Lanterne Rouge" (Tour
de France 1999).
After ending up last in the Tour de France, he wore the "yellow
jersey" 2 stages in the Tour of Spain (Tour d'Espagne
1999).
In 2000 Lotto changed name to Lotto-Adecco.
In the Tour de France 2000 he became number 72,but unfortunately
he didn't win the "Coeur de Lion" price, although he made some very good
attacks.
I will especially emphasize his break on the 10.stage to Hautacam,
as one of the most spectacular, because it is a mountain stage. ( Tour
de France 2000)
This year he changed to team La Francaise de Jeux, unfortunately
they haven't been selected for the Tour de France in the round, but hopefully
they will gain some good racing results, so the can get a "Wild card".
Let us cross our fingers for them, for what is a Tour de France
without Jacky Durand.
What I like about Jacky !
There are a lot of reasons why I like Jacky. First of all he is a
great racing cyclist with a lot of courage and willpower. It's never boring
watching a race with Jacky on TV, he is a great performer.
As a person, I can only rely to my first personal meeting with him.
I met him first time at "Feté a Dudu" in October 2000, I
was very nervous but he cured that at once, by joking around with me.
Jacky is a totally "down to earth" guy, very nice and very charming,
there are no snobbish about him.
I liked Jacky a lot before I met him I liked him even more after.
He is the nicest famous person I ever met. ( Fête
à Dudu 2000).