Jean-François Bernard
Jean-François Bernard (born 2 May 1962 at Luzy, Bourgogne, France) is a former French professional road bicycle racer.
 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Full name | Jean-François Bernard |
| Born | 2 May 1962 Bourgogne, France |
| Team information | |
| Current team | Retired |
| Discipline | Road |
| Role | Rider |
| Rider type | All Rounder |
| Professional teams | |
| 1984-1986 | La Vie Claire |
| 1987-1990 | Toshiba |
| 1991-1994 | Banesto |
| 1995 | Chazal |
| 1996 | Agrigel-La Creuse |
| Major wins | |
Grand Tour
| |
Career
He turned professional in 1984 for La Vie Claire, led by Bernard Hinault. He was seen as Hinault’s successor as a winner of stage races from 1986.
He competed in the team time trial event at the 1984 Summer Olympics.[1]
Bernard wore the yellow jersey as leader of the general classification in the 1987 Tour de France and won two stages, both time trials, including one on Mont Ventoux. He finished the race third behind Stephen Roche of Ireland and Pedro Delgado of Spain and was in contention all the way to the end in what still remains among the closest Tours in history.
He won three stages in the 1988 Giro d'Italia and led the race, but he crashed in a tunnel, injured his back and abandoned the race. The next year he needed an operation and months of recuperation for fibrosis in his left knee.
A saddle sore and another operation forced him out of the 1990 Tour de France.[2] He never again challenged in the grands tours. In 1991 he joined the Spanish team, Banesto which had two leaders for stage races in Delgado and Miguel Indurain. Bernard helped Indurain dominate the Tour.
Bernard won the 1992 Paris–Nice.
Bernard retired at the end of 1996 with 52 professional wins. He is now a consultant for L'Équipe, L'Équipe TV and Eurosport. In 2005 a race, La Jean-François Bernard, was organised in the Nièvre region of Bourgogne as part of the Trophy of Bourgogne, an amateur competition.[3] He is the father of racing cyclist Julien Bernard.[4]
Career achievements
Major results
- 1983
- 1st
- 1985
- 1st Coppa Sabatini
- 1st Stage 6a Tour de Suisse (ITT)
- 1986
- 1st Stage 16 Tour de France
- 1st
- 2nd Overall Tour de Romandie
- 1987
- 1st Stage 19 Giro d'Italia
- 1st Giro dell'Emilia
- 1st Grand Prix de Rennes
- 2nd Overall Paris–Nice
- 3rd Overall Tour de France
- 1st
- 1st Stages 18 (ITT) & 24 (ITT)
- 1st
- 1988
- Giro d'Italia
- 1st Overall Ronde d'Aix en Provence
- 5th Overall Tour de Romandie
- 1990
- 1st Stage 14 (ITT) Vuelta a España
- 1st Stage 7b (ITT) Paris–Nice
- 1991
- 4th La Flèche Wallonne
- 1992
- 1st
- 1st Stage 7b (ITT)
- 1st
- 1st
- 3rd Liège–Bastogne–Liège
- 10th Road race, UCI Road World Championships
- 1993
- 1st
- 2nd GP Ouest–France
- 1994
- 8th Overall Paris–Nice
References
- Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Jean-François Bernard". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 26 May 2015. Retrieved 26 May 2015.
- "French hope says he'll never be a leader". International herald tribune. Archived from the original on 4 June 2011. Retrieved 13 October 2007.
- "Compte rendue de la Jean-Francois Bernard". Velo 101.com. Retrieved 13 October 2007.
- "In his words - Julien Bernard". Trek-Segafredo. 18 January 2016. Retrieved 22 October 2016.
External links
- Palmares of Jean Francois Bernard at the Wayback Machine (archived 18 October 2007)
- Jean-François Bernard at the International Olympic Committee