Paul Lapeira
« The team did a good job. »
«I broke away with about thirty riders, including, at one point, up to five DECATHLON AG2R LA MONDIALE riders. Geoffrey (Bouchard) worked extremely hard to keep the team in this good position. In the last lap of the circuit, four of us broke away with Marc Hirschi, Romain Grégoire and Alex Aranburu, and we went all the way together. I knew they were fast in the sprint. I wanted to try and surprise them, but I started a little too far back and Marc Hirschi was able to catch my wheel and pass me in the final. I tried something quite optimistic, but I have no regrets because to win, you have to try. That's the game. But overall, I'm happy with the day. The team did a good job.»
The information
Antoine L'Hote wins Paris-Tours Espoirs
Ahead of the elite race, Antoine L’Hote, from the DECATHLON AG2R LA MONDIALE Development team, won Paris-Tours Espoirs solo: «I'm very happy. It's a well-known race among young hopefuls and it's a great opportunity to race before the professionals. Winning in the rain feels like winning a race for warriors, so I'm even happier with my victory. I didn't expect to win the Tour d'Eure-et-Loir last weekend, let alone Paris-Tours Espoirs, especially as I knew it was a unpredictable race with the gravel. It's huge, I have to make the most of it. »
81
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Edvald Boasson Hagen has racked up 81 victories in his career, which came to an end today at Paris-Tours: « It was a wet and difficult race, but I am pleased to have finished it without any falls. It was also a beautiful day; I appreciated all the words from the riders in the peloton about my career. These are wonderful moments that I will remember. »
