VERDUN, France -- Laurent Jalabert's
victory in the fourth stage of the Tour de France on Wednesday
came as a reward for months of painful recovery from an injury
he feared might end his career.
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I haven't let myself get down since the accident. I've worked very hard, even with the pain in my back. ” |
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— Laurent Halabert |
The 32-year-old Frenchman thought he had been paralysed
after falling from a ladder while changing a lightbulb in his
Swiss home in February.
In the end the damage was only to three vertebrae in his
lower back but he has had to put up with considerable pain
throughout his recovery and return to competitive cycling.
"Today was a lesson in courage," said Jalabert, who had to
fight his way from the back of the peloton before joining Ludo
Dierckxsens on the attack and finally beating him.
"I haven't let myself get down since the accident. I've
worked very hard, even with the pain in my back.
"I felt good at the beginning. I knew there would be escapes
because of the wind and when the first attempt failed I found
the moment to attack.
"I'm very tired but victory is a great reward."
Wednesday's victory over Dierckxsens in a tense sprint at
the end of the 215-kilometre stage from Huy to Verdun was his
third individual stage win on the Tour and his first since Mende
in 1995.
It was in that year that Jalabert produced his best Tour
performance, finishing fourth behind Miguel Indurain, Alex
Zuelle and Bjarne Riis, who is now his boss at the Danish team
CSC.
Jalabert, who moves up to second in the overall standings
behind Stuart O'Grady, will not get too carried away by
Wednesday's success but he was justifiably proud of the victory.
"This victory won't change my career but a win in the Tour
de France is always important and I'm happy," he said.
"It's been a hard year for me after the accident and this is
an achievement.
"I had to start from scratch to build up my muscle and
really I had to learn how to win again.
"That's not so easy when you're used to succes and I have to
admit that this year I had doubts."
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ALSO SEE
O'Grady keeps yellow jersey at Tour
Tour de France results -- Stage 4
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