VOECKER. A former cyclist, Thomas Voeckler is now a motorcycle consultant on France Télévisons during the stages of the Tour de France.
He made the heyday of the Tour de France by wearing the yellow jersey of the Grande Boucle several times and for several days. Thomas Voeckler is now the coach of the team of France on the road, but also the motorcycle consultant for France Télévisions, especially on the roads of the Tour de France. Asked by L’Equipe about his role, the former runner delivers his analysis. “In the peloton, things happen that I have to understand and explain. I distinguish two audiences. The one who loves cycling all year round and the one who loves the Tour de France who knows less about the details. I am convinced that there are a way to explain technical points without going all the way to the gut section (…) Sometimes, if someone asks me what I think of a racing situation, I can answer: it depends if you think about it. audience or if you really want my version. But I’m also able to say: I don’t know. And that’s the charm of cycling.
Asked also about the fact that it is often associated with the voice of the siesta, it also makes an amusing confidence. “Speaking of naps, I’ll admit it: sometimes I take a nap on the bike, leaning against the top case! But I have to explain to you: I have four sounds in my ear. The other bike , the antenna director, the consultants’ booth with Alex (Pastor, commentator), my motorcycle rider, Radio Tour, and a fifth for interviews with sports directors. So at the rate of four to six hours a day for three weeks, I sometimes cut five minutes. And there, I have a pat of the thigh of my pilot who says to me: we call you!
find out more
Biography Thomas Voeckler. Thomas Voeckler was born on June 22, 1979 in Schiltigheim in the Bas-Rhin department. A French cyclist, he was a professional from 2001 to 2017. His family is from Alsace: his father was a psychiatrist and his mother an anesthesiologist. When he was seven years old, Thomas Voeckler’s parents moved to Martinique in Tartane. Before discovering cycling at the age of ten, young Thomas practiced football and judo. He then started at the Etoile Cycliste du Lamentin before joining the Trinité Cyclist Club two years later. Nicknamed “Ti-Blanc” by his trainer, he competed in his first competitions with a bike that his father brought him from mainland France.
When he was 17, Thomas Voeckler returned to metropolitan France for his studies where he passed a BTS in sales. After joining a sports-studies section, he joined the Vendée U amateur team, led at this time by Jean-René Bernaudeau. Second in Paris-Roubaix Espoirs in 2000, he turned professional in 2001. Until 2017, he knew seven teams: Bonjour-Toupargel (09.2000 – 12.2000) where he was a trainee, Bonjour (2001-2022), Brioches La Boulangère ( 2003-2004), Bouygues Telecom (2005-2008), BBox Bouygues Telecom (2009-2010), Europcar (2011-2015) and Direct Energie (2016-2017).
After his career, Thomas Voeckler converted to a consultant where he started during the 2017 Tour de Vendée with Eurosport. In 2018, he became an ambassador for Amaury Sport Organization then a consultant for France Televisions where he replaced Cedric Vasseur on the bike. Since June 30, 2019, he has been coach of the French men’s road cycling team where he won two world championship titles with Julian Alaphilippe.
What is Thomas Voeckler’s track record?
Thomas Voeckler has one of the finest records in French cycling: double French road champion (2004 and 2010), Tour of Luxembourg in 2003, Route du Sud in 2006 and 2013, Tour du Haut-Var in 2009 and 2011, Four Days of Dunkerque in 2011, Flèche brabançonne in 2012, Tour La Provence and Tour de Yorkshire in 2016. On the big tours, Thomas Voeckler took part in 15 Tour de France (from 2003 to 2017) where in 2004, he wore the yellow jersey for ten days before finishing 18th overall. In 2011, “Ti-Blanc” did not go far from getting on the podium where he finished 4th after having been the leader of the general classification for ten days. The following year he won the best climber’s polka dot jersey after finishing top of the 10th and 16th stages. He took part in four Giros (2001, 2007, 2009 and 2010) and a Vuelta (2005).
Thomas Voeckler and the French team
Coach of the French men’s road cycling team since June 30, 2019, Thomas Voeckler has already had a few medals: two world titles with Julian Alaphilippe (2020 and 2021), silver medal at the European Championships in 2020 with Arnaud Démare, bronze medal at the European Championships with Rémi Cavagna in 2021, silver medal at the European Championships in the individual time trial with Rémi Cavagna in 2020.
Thomas Voeckler and the marathon
When Thomas Voeckler is not working as a sports consultant or coach of the French men’s road cycling team, he sometimes indulges in other sports such as marathons or trail running.