Antoine L'Hote
"I still can't believe it."
“I still can’t believe it! I could tell right from the start of the stage that my legs felt good, but I didn’t expect to pull this off on my own. I’m really savoring the moment. The plan since the start of the season was to compete in WorldTour races to build up mileage and rhythm, and to make a move at the Région Pays de la Loire Tour. Today, I won the stage and the overall title; a first professional victory in my very first year as a pro—I couldn’t have hoped for anything better. I want to thank the whole team for doing a great job.”
Paul Seixas
“Today, it’s for them.”
“It was a really great race, a very tough one, and I want to thank all my teammates for doing a fantastic job. Florian Lipowitz took over for me when he realized that Primoz Roglic wasn’t going to catch up, and that allowed me to pace myself a little bit in preparation for the sprint. It came down to a one-on-one battle; he was very strong, he launched a good attack in the final stretch, but I hung on. Having the yellow jersey on the team is awesome! It creates huge motivation, and we’re all super happy. My teammates are giving 200% so the team can keep this leader’s jersey; we’re first and foremost a group of friends, and that’s what’s beautiful about cycling. I’m thrilled to be sharing this experience with them. They deserve for me to go out and get this win: today, it’s for them. Tonight, I’m very happy, but I’m staying focused. There’s still one day left, 130 km, rain—we’ll have to stay alert.”
The news
A double first in the professional ranks
By winning the final stage of the Pays de la Loire Tour, Antoine L’Hote claimed his first professional victory at just 20 years old. This solo victory also secured him the overall title.
6
Key number
Just like Noa Isidore’s finish in the fourth stage of the Pays de la Loire Tour. After leading the charge for a while, Noa managed to latch onto the breakaway group behind Antoine to secure a solid sixth-place finish.
