**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.

Voeckler in the maillot jaune at the 2011 Tour de France
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
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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.

Palmarès
--------

2003
1st  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  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  from Stage 5–14
Held Maillot blanc  from Stage 5–18
2005
1st Stage 3 Four Days of Dunkirk
Held  Mountains classification for Stage 2 Tour de France
2006
1st Paris–Bourges
1st Stage 5 Vuelta al País Vasco
1st  Overall Route du Sud
1st Stage 1
3rd Overall Étoile de Bessèges
2007
1st  Mountains classification Paris–Nice
1st  Overall Tour du Poitou Charentes et de la Vienne
1st Grand-Prix de Plouay Ouest-France
2008
1st  Overall Circuit de la Sarthe
1st  Overall Grand Prix de Plumelec-Morbihan
Held  Mountains classification from Stages 1–5 Tour de France
2009
1st Stage 5 Tour de France
1st  Overall Étoile de Bessèges
1st  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  National Road Race Championships
1st Stage 15 Tour de France
1st Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec
3rd Overall Giro di Sardegna
2011
1st  Overall Tour du Haut Var
1st  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  from Stage 10–19
2012
1st Brabantse Pijl
Tour de France
1st  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  Overall Route du Sud
1st Stage 3
1st  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
 Combativity award Stage 4 Tour de France

Other websites
--------------


Wikimedia Commons has media related to ***Thomas Voeckler***.

* Team Europcar profile Archived 2012-07-17 at the Wayback Machine
* Thomas Voeckler's profile on Cycling Base Archived 2011-09-20 at the Wayback Machine

| Tour de France  Maillot Grimpeur (Polka dot jersey) winners  |
| --- |
| 1933 Trueba |
1934 Vietto |
1935 Vervaecke |
1936 Berrendero |
1937 Vervaecke |
1938 Bartali |
1939 Maes |
1947 Brambilla |
1948 Bartali |
1949 Coppi |
1950 Bobet |
1951 Géminiani |
1952 Coppi |
1953 Lorono |
1954 Bahamontes |
1955 Gaul |
1956 Gaul |
1957 Nencini |
1958 Bahamontes |
1959 Bahamontes |
1960 Massignan |
1961 Massignan |
1962 Bahamontes |
1963 Bahamontes |
1964 Bahamontes |
1965 Jimenez |
1966 Jimenez |
1967 Jimenez |
1968 Gonzalez |
1969 Merckx |
1970 Merckx |
1971 Van Impe |
1972 Van Impe |
1973 Torres |
1974 Perurena |
1975 Van Impe |
1976 Bellini |
1977 Van Impe |
1978 Martinez |
1979 Battaglin |
1980 Martin |
1981 Van Impe |
1982 Vallet |
1983 Van Impe |
1984 Millar |
1985 Herrera |
1986 Hinault |
1987 Herrera |
1988 Rooks |
1989 Theunisse |
1990 Claveyrolat |
1991 Chiappucci |
1992 Chiappucci |
1993 Rominger |
1994 Virenque |
1995 Virenque |
1996 Virenque |
1997 Virenque |
1998 Rinero |
1999 Virenque |
2000 Botero |
2001 Jalabert |
2002 Jalabert |
2003 Virenque |
2004 Virenque |
2005 Rasmussen |
2006 Rasmussen |
2007 Soler |
2008 Kohl, disqualified  |
2009 Pelizotti, disqualified  |
2010 Charteau |
2011 Sánchez |
2012 Voeckler |
2013  Quintana |
2014 Majka  |