With only five stages left in this year's Tour de France, the host nation is on the brink of an ignominious record.

A once proud cycling nation, that has won the event on 36 occasions, has seen its' fortunes decline rapidly in recent years.

Even since Bernard Hinault's victory in 1985 - the last by a French rider - the hosts have had qualified success with 1993 being the only year that the home nation has not managed to either post a man in the top 10 on GC or win the mountains classification.

Jean-Philippe Dojwa's 15th place 14 years ago was only the third time that the French had failed to place a rider in the top ten but that figure has been doubled in the past five editions and that looks sensational compared to what the hosts are offering this year.

Sylvain Chavanel is the leading Frenchman, over 40 minutes down in 32nd place, and even if he manages to get involved in a 20 minute plus breakaway on Thursday or Friday, it is still unlikely to break Dojwa's unwelcome mark.

Cédric Vasseur's win in stage 10 aside, this has truly been a miserable year for the French.

Best Frenchman:

2006 - 7th - Cyril Dessel

2005 - 11th - Christophe Moreau

2004 - 12th - Christophe Moreau

2003 - 8th - Christophe Moreau

2002 - 13th - David Moncoutié

2001 - 6th - François Simon

2000 - 4th - Christophe Moreau

1999 - 8th - Richard Virenque

1998 - 4th - Christophe Rinero

1997 - 2nd - Richard Virenque

1996 - 3rd - Richard Virenque

1995 - 4th - Laurent Jalabert

1994 - 4th - Luc Leblanc

1993 - 15th - Jean-Philippe Dojwa

1992 - 5th - Pascal Lino

1991 - 4th - Charly Mottet

1990 - 14th - Fabrice Philipot

1989 - 2nd - Laurent Fignon

1988 - 5th - Eric Boyer

1987 - 3rd - Jean-François Bernard

1986 - 2nd - Bernard Hinault

1985 - 1st - Bernard Hinault

1984 - 1st - Laurent Fignon

1983 - 1st - Laurent Fignon

1982 - 1st - Bernard Hinault

1981 - 1st - Bernard Hinault

1980 - 3rd - Raymond Martin

1979 - 1st - Bernard Hinault

1978 - 1st - Bernard Hinault

1977 - 1st - Bernard Thévenet

1976 - 3rd - Raymond Poulidor

1975 - 1st - Bernard Thévenet

1974 - 2nd - Raymond Poulidor

1973 - 2nd - Bernard Thévenet

1972 - 3rd - Raymond Poulidor

1971 - 4th - Bernard Thévenet

1970 - 7th - Raymond Poulidor

1969 - 2nd - Roger Pingeon

1968 - 5th - Roger Pingeon

1967 - 1st - Roger Pingeon

1966 - 1st - Lucien Aimar

1965 - 2nd - Raymond Poulidor

1964 - 1st - Jacques Anquetil

1963 - 1st - Jacques Anquetil

1962 - 1st - Jacques Anquetil

1961 - 1st - Jacques Anquetil

1960 - 6th - Raymond Mastrotto

1959 - 2nd - Henry Anglade

1958 - 3rd - Raphaël Géminiani

1957 - 1st - Jacques Anquetil

1956 - 1st - Roger Walkowiak

1955 - 1st - Louison Bobet

1954 - 1st - Louison Bobet

1953 - 1st - Louison Bobet

1952 - 5th - Jean Robic

1951 - 2nd - Raphaël Géminiani

1950 - 3rd - Louison Bobet

1949 - 3rd - Jacques Marinelli

1948 - 3rd - Guy Lapébie

1947 - 1st - Jean Robic

1939 - 2nd - René Vietto

1938 - 3rd - Victor Cosson

1937 - 1st - Roger Lapébie

1936 - 2nd - Antonin Magne

1935 - 6th - Georges Speicher

1934 - 1st - Antonin Magne

1933 - 1st - Georges Speicher

1932 - 1st - André Leducq

1931 - 1st - Antonin Magne

1930 - 1st - André Leducq

1929 - 7th - Antonin Magne

1928 - 2nd - André Leducq

1927 - 4th - André Leducq

1926 - 8th - Georges Cuvelier

1925 - 11th - Romain Bellenger

1924 - 6th - Joseph Muller

1923 - 1st - Henri Pélissier

1922 - 2nd - Jean Alavoine

1921 - 3rd - Honoré Barthélémy

1920 - 8th - Honoré Barthélémy

1919 - 2nd - Jean Alavoine

1914 - 2nd - Henri Pélissier

1913 - 2nd - Gustave Garrigou

1912 - 2nd - Eugène Christophe

1911 - 1st - Gustave Garrigou

1910 - 1st - Octave Lapize

1909 - 2nd - Gustave Garrigou

1908 - 1st - Lucien Petit-Breton

1907 - 1st - Lucien Petit-Breton

1906 - 1st - René Pottier

1905 - 1st - Louis Trousselier

1904 - 1st - Henri Cornet

1903 - 1st - Maurice Garin

Lee Walker / Eurosport