Cycling-We're still too green, says Frenchman Bardet

By Julien Pretot ST JEAN DE MAURIENNE, France, July 23 (Reuters) - A year after three Frenchmen raised local hopes in the Tour de France, the home nation's chances of another podium finish in Paris vanished early this year and Romain Bardet believes it is too soon to dream again. Bardet, who won the 18th stage in style on Thursday, was sixth overall last year with his AG2r-La Mondiale team mate Jean-Christophe Peraud in second and Thibaut Pinot of FDJ in third. A tough first week and a terrible first mountain stage dashed their hopes this year. Peraud also crashed heavily and never looked close to finding his best form again while Bardet and Pinot, now 10th and 16th overall, have frequently gone on the attack but are not in the hunt for the yellow jersey this time. "Last year was an extraordinary Tour de France with favourable circumstances," the 24-year-old told a news conference after winning Thursday's 186.5-km mountain ride from Gap. Last year, pre-race favourites Chris Froome and Alberto Contador crashed out of the Tour. "The Tour, it's a lot of pressure to handle for the French riders," said Bardet, a talented climber who all too often suffers bad days. "We don't have the shoulders to compete with the best during 21 days. I will humbly say that it's a bit early for us." France, however, has hopes of winning the Tour de France for the first time since Bernard Hinault in 1985 sooner rather than later. In Bardet, the 25-year-old Pinot and the 23-year-old Warren Barguil, who is 11th overall on his first Tour, France has riders who can compete with the best. "I think we're a very good generation. We know each other very well, we're spurred on by the others' performances," said Bardet. (Reporting by Julien Pretot; Editing by Toby Davis)