Title: Thomas Voeckler Content: Thomas Voeckler (born 22 June 1979) is a French professional road racing cyclist. He rides for the Europcar cycling team. Voeckler has been called a "national hero," because he has done well in the Tour de France. His nickname is le Chouchou which means Sweetheart. ==Career== Voeckler has been a professional cyclist since 2001. He entered the 2004 Tour de France and earned the yellow jersey (maillot jaune) on Stage 5. He wore the jersey for ten days, which made him famous. In 2006 he won the fifth stage in 2006 Vuelta al País Vasco. He also won the 2006 Paris–Bourges race. In 2009, he won his first stage in a Tour de France. Voeckler went for victory on stage 15 with about 5 km to go. In the 2010 Tour de France he won Stage 15. In the ninth stage of the 2011 Tour de France, Voeckler crossed the line second, taking the overall lead and therefore wearing the maillot jaune (yellow jersey). He kept the yellow jersey for 9 stages, but lost it on Stage 19. Voeckler finished the Tour in fourth place 3min 20sec behind the winner, Cadel Evans. This is his best career placement in the Tour so far. It was the best finish of any Frenchman in the Tour since Christophe Moreau came fourth in 2000. In 2012, Thomas Voeckler earned more victories and top placements, including in the Spring Classics. At the 2012 Tour de France, he was suffering from a knee injury and almost abandoned the race. However he won Stage 10, the first mountain stage of the race. He also won Stage 16 with four huge climbs including the Col du Tourmalet. On this stage he grabbed the polka dot jersey for best climber. He kept the jersey from the Pyrenees to the finish. In the Ardennes Classic in 2013 Voeckler crashed and broke his collarbone. By June he recovered and won stage 6 of the Critérium du Dauphiné. Voeckler continued his winning form by winning the overall titles of the Route du Sud and the Tour du Poitou-Charentes. ==Other== Voeckler is known for displaying many different facial expressions while racing, especially when trying very hard. He often sticks out his tongue. In August 2011, Voeckler raced on his bike against a horse in an exhibition contest, and lost.Voeckler Loses Out To Trotting Horse. Cyclingnews.com. Retrieved on 21 August 2011. ==Palmarès== ;2003 : 1st 20px Overall Tour de Luxembourg ::1st Stages 1 & 3 : 1st Classic Loire Atlantique : 1st Stage 8 Tour de l'Avenir : 2nd Tour de la Somme : 3rd Grand Prix de Denain ;2004 : 1st 20px National Road Race Championships : 1st A travers le Morbihan : 1st Stage 4 Route du Sud : 2nd Clasica de Almeria : 18th Overall Tour de France ::Held Maillot jaune 20px from Stage 5–14 ::Held Maillot blanc 20px from Stage 5–18 ;2005 : 1st Stage 3 Four Days of Dunkirk : Held 20px Mountains classification for Stage 2 Tour de France ;2006 : 1st Paris–Bourges : 1st Stage 5 Vuelta al País Vasco : 1st 20px Overall Route du Sud ::1st Stage 1 : 3rd Overall Étoile de Bessèges ;2007 : 1st 20px Mountains classification Paris–Nice : 1st 20px Overall Tour du Poitou Charentes et de la Vienne : 1st Grand-Prix de Plouay Ouest-France ;2008 : 1st 20px Overall Circuit de la Sarthe : 1st 20px Overall Grand Prix de Plumelec-Morbihan : Held 20px Mountains classification from Stages 1–5 Tour de France ;2009 : 1st Stage 5 Tour de France : 1st 20px Overall Étoile de Bessèges : 1st 20px Overall Tour du Haut Var ::1st Stage 2 : 1st Trophée des Grimpeurs : 2nd Grand Prix d'Ouverture La Marseillaise : 3rd Tour de Vendée ;2010 : 1st 20px National Road Race Championships : 1st Stage 15 Tour de France : 1st Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec : 3rd Overall Giro di Sardegna ;2011 : 1st 20px Overall Tour du Haut Var : 1st 20px Overall Four Days of Dunkirk ::1st Stage 4 : 1st Stage 1 Tour Méditerranéen : 1st Stages 4 & 8 Paris-Nice : 1st Cholet-Pays de Loire : 1st Stage 2 Giro del Trentino : 3rd GP Ouest-France : 4th Overall Tour de France ::Held Maillot jaune 20px from Stage 10–19 ;2012 :1st Brabantse Pijl :Tour de France ::1st 20px Mountains classification ::1st Stages 10 & Stage 16 :1st Stage 3 La Tropicale Amissa Bongo :4th Liège–Bastogne–Liège :5th Overall Four Days of Dunkirk :5th Amstel Gold Race :7th World Road Race Championships :8th Tour of Flanders ;2013 :1st 20px Overall Route du Sud ::1st Stage 3 :1st 20px Overall Tour du Poitou-Charentes ::1st Stage 4 (ITT) :1st Stage 6 Critérium du Dauphiné :2nd Tour du Doubs :2nd Grand Prix de Wallonie :5th Dwars door Vlaanderen :8th Milano–Torino :20px Combativity award Stage 4 Tour de France