What in the hell is wrong with the French?

Question

I don't understand why they can't just accept the fact that Lance Armstrong won 7 times. I know they hate Americans because we are everything they aren't. Why can't they just shut up?

Answer 1

I understand the feeling. With exception, you will find French people to be fair play, and they will admit and respect the winner of a competition, regardless of nationality. Of course they will also brag when their local teams/players/athletes win, and be disappointed when they loose but who wouldn't?

Nonetheless, there is this lingering resentment against Lance... And this I believe comes from that newspaper "L'Equipe" (The Team), which is as fair and balanced as Fox News when it comes to reporting integrity. That rag basically capitalizes on national sporting pride to promote sales.

So there... A couple of journalists try to make a stir by making unvalidated claim of cheating, in the hope of unearthing the next Watergate. What's very regrettable, is that such cheap shot is only what's visible of France. A real shame, because the truth is all different.

Some readers will probably believe that much, but I'm pretty certain most French people have nothing but respect for Lance's performance.

Now it is also true that in the cycling circle, people don't consider Lance the greatest cyclist of all time. Lance is the best TdF cyclist that ever was and maybe ever will be, but he's pretty much exclusive. So was Miguel Indurain. These guys would train only for the TdF. In contrast, people like Eddie Mercks, Jacques Anquetil, Bernard Hinault not only won the TdF five times, but they also won pretty much everything there was to win. So some folks may have a legitimate reason to take Lance's performance with a grain of salt.

I hope this helps clarify the confusion.

(PS) Avoid using absolutes like "I know the French hate Americans". This doesn't reflect well on Americans, and doesn't promote a better understanding between the two people. Try to investigate whether it is true that French hate Americans (Because they don't), and if so, try to find out what the reason why that may be. Else you will pass for an obnoxious yank (Which you're not) and people will resent you for that.

Answer 2

If you look at the history of the TdF, it has always been this way. The suspicion and accusations have always been part of the Tour. Every winner has been hounded by their press. They(meaning the French press) don't celebrate the winners of the Tour. They hound them. They accuse them of cheating. There is always some kind of scandal surrounding the winner. It makes the TdF larger than what it is. It sells their papers. That is why it was organized in the first place. That is the other reason why it's so hard to win the TdF. You have to put up with the crap for almost 31 days straight after averaging 100 miles a day. That sucks and they know it. Welcome to France!

Answer 3

Because they are French!!They don`t really like anybody but themself!Some of them are nice,but i remember a girl walking into the office,complaining that nobody speaks french ( I´m from Germany).I told her that first we mostly learn english and that 2nd, I´ve never met a French person speaking German in their own country.She was silent after that!So i guess, they are just like that.....

Answer 4

The French have always been a bit arrogant and xenophobic. They are jealous that an American (Lance) did what he did...

Answer 5

because they consider the Tour as darn near sacred..they think it is extremely difficult (and it is) and for an AMERICAN to win 7 yrs straight...something must be happening....

Answer 6

that´s because they ARE french ,, they think they are god´s gift to the world ,, they think they are the best at everything but instead they are a joke ,,

Answer 7

idk