The most moved on the finish line of stage 9 in Mulhouse was not the new yellow jersey holder, Tony Gallopin, but his uncle, Alain, the Trek factory team director and the closest adviser of his nephew.

"Generally, you come to me when Fabian Cancellara wins a stage, not when he finishes second. But now, it's a huge emotion. French yellow jerseys, there aren't that many. And a yellow jersey in the Gallopin family it's even more extraordinary," said Alain, the brother of two other former professionals, Guy and and Tony's father Joel.

"We've been in cycling for 50 years, there are Gallopin everywhere in French races and here we are with a yellow jersey. Tony doesn't ride with me anymore but for Lotto, but I still advise him when he needs me. I've looked after him since the junior world and European championships in 2006 when he won three medals. Since then he trusted me."

The last yellow jersey to a French rider was in 2011 where Thomas Voeckler took it on stage 9 and kept it until stage 18. A heroic fight, which is usual for the French riders fighting for wearing the yellow jersey, made him finish just outside the podium spots.

Very close to the late Tour de France champion Laurent Fignon, Alain Gallopin added:

"For me, this is all the more special as Mulhouse was also the last stage victory of Laurent Fignon in the Tour in 1992."