Clément Berthet, 8th at La Vuelta
A First Special Top 10 List. In fact, after three weeks racing alongside the very best, a provisional 7th place in the general classification and, at the end of it all, a superb 8th place overall: at La Vuelta 2026, Clément Berthet secured the first Grand Tour Top 10 of his career. A performance made even more remarkable by the fact that, just a few weeks earlier, a crash had brought his Tour de France to a premature end. And for Julbo, this result has an even more special meaning: Clément grew up in Longchaumois, the same small village in the Haut-Jura where our story began and where Julbo is still based today.
Three weeks racing alongside the very best, a provisional 7th place in the general classification and, at the end of it all, a superb 8th place overall: at La Vuelta 2026, Clément Berthet secured the first Grand Tour Top 10 of his career. A performance made even more remarkable by the fact that, just a few weeks earlier, a crash had brought his Tour de France to a premature end.
And for Julbo, this result has an even more special meaning: Clément grew up in Longchaumois, the same small village in the Haut-Jura where our story began and where Julbo is still based today.
From the Tour de France to La Vuelta: getting back up and going again
The contrast could hardly be greater.
At the beginning of July, Clément Berthet arrived at the Tour de France with big ambitions in the colours of Groupama-FDJ United. But his Tour was over almost before it had begun.
During the opening team time trial in Barcelona, Clément suffered a heavy crash. Although he managed to reach the finish, medical examinations after the stage revealed a concussion, preventing him from starting the following day.
A brutal end to his hopes at the biggest race in the world.
But just a few weeks later, Clément was ready to pin on a race number at another Grand Tour.
Destination: Spain.
Three weeks getting closer to the best
At La Vuelta, Clément built his race day after day.
There was no single spectacular breakthrough, but instead remarkable consistency. From the first week onwards, he stayed with the best when the road pointed upwards and gradually climbed the general classification.
16th after stage four, 13th after stage six and knocking on the door of the Top 10 by the end of the opening week: Clément kept moving forward.
The second week confirmed his growing momentum.
In the mountains, his favourite terrain, he delivered. On stage 14, he claimed an excellent 6th place and moved into the Top 10 overall.
From that moment on, the race took on a new dimension.
It was no longer simply about having a strong Vuelta. Now there was a place among the ten best riders in the race to defend.
All the way to 7th overall
The third week confirmed everything Clément had shown so far.
After more than two weeks of racing, he continued to hold his own in the mountains and started the stage 18 individual time trial sitting 9th overall.
32.1 kilometres between El Puerto de Santa María and Jerez de la Frontera. Not exactly his speciality.
Yet Clément produced one of the strongest performances among the GC contenders.
20th on the stage, he gained two positions and moved up to 7th overall at La Vuelta.
After 18 stages and almost three weeks of racing, the Jura native was seventh in one of cycling's three Grand Tours.
A remarkable achievement.
8th at La Vuelta and a first Grand Tour Top 10
There were still mountains and kilometres to cover before the finish.
In the final major battle for the general classification, the gaps shifted one last time. Clément dropped one position, but held on to what mattered most.
He finished La Vuelta 2026 8th overall and as the highest-placed French rider.
Above all, at 29 years old, he secured the first Grand Tour Top 10 of his career.
A result that marks a genuine step forward.
Two years earlier, his best Grand Tour result had been 20th at La Vuelta 2024. In 2026, Clément did more than simply break into the Top 10: right until the final days, he was fighting for a place among the top seven.
And just weeks after the disappointment of the Tour de France, his performance also says a lot about his ability to bounce back.
Clément, Julbo and Longchaumois: a special connection
At Julbo, we naturally follow Clément's performances with particular attention.
Because before professional cycling, before Groupama-FDJ United and before the roads of the Tour or La Vuelta, his story and ours share the same starting point: Longchaumois.
Clément grew up in this small Haut-Jura village. It is also where Julbo was founded in 1888 and where the brand is still based today.
A few hundred inhabitants, mountains all around and, today, a cyclist capable of finishing among the ten best riders in a Grand Tour alongside a brand born in the same village that equips athletes on some of the world's greatest sporting stages.
So when one of the village's own delivers the best Grand Tour performance of his career, we cannot help but feel proud.
From Longchaumois to Europe's greatest climbs
This 8th place at La Vuelta rewards three weeks of consistency, determination and confidence.
It also reflects the journey since that crash in July that brought his Tour de France to an abrupt end.
Just a few weeks later, Clément Berthet delivered the best possible response: on his bike, in the mountains, racing alongside the very best.
8th at La Vuelta. Best French rider. First Grand Tour Top 10.
And back in Longchaumois, in the Haut-Jura, there is every reason to be proud.
Congratulations, Clément.
