What a beautiful story! Without insulting Arkéa-Samsic’s experienced and dear teammate Laurent Pichon, who would have bet on a Quimper resident’s Top 10 at Paris-Roubaix this afternoon? At least not the first to worry. And yet this is what one of the road captains of the Breton team managed to do this Sunday, after spending much of the day at the front (see ranking† DirectVelo collected a runner’s reaction to a cloud, and in a joke, after the finish. Maintenance.
DirectVelo: Here you are in the Top 10 of Paris-Roubaix for your second entry, at 35!
Laurent Pichon: I’m not really used to being in this kind of situation. We had to stay focused on the effort, on the cobblestones, without making any mistakes. At the end I tried to make the best possible place with what I had left in my legs. 8th is not bad. I never thought of doing this at first. I think I should come back next year (smile). Maybe there will be the cobblestones of the Tour in July, you never know. I showed that I was comfortable!
Did you have time to imagine finishing on the podium?
At one point, three in front of me, with (Matej) Mohoric on the bike, I kind of believed in the podium. But there were still a lot of sectors left and yet I felt I was at the limit… You have to be realistic, even if you still believe in it a bit.
At the end of the race you tore yourself to the end of your last power to get your hands on this symbolic Top 10…
With Adrien (Petit) we were both dead but we gave everything and managed to persevere and get back to the group of (Mathieu) Van der Poel and (Jasper) Stuyven. The title of first Frenchman is nice, but we mainly come for the best possible result. I was always one step ahead and that helped me a lot.
“I THINK MYSELF IN A FOOTBALL STADIUM”
You only took part in Paris-Roubaix once, in 2012: getting a Top 10 this season is almost insane!
Yes ! I shouldn’t even be there. It wasn’t in my original program at all. I replaced Hugo Hofstetter. When I heard that he wouldn’t be there, I let the team management know that I was interested. I wanted to finish Paris-Roubaix once in my career. Entering the velodrome was exciting… But I was mostly focused because there was a group coming in for second, so we didn’t want to bother them too much. It was a little tense. But I will especially remember the Arenberg gorge, the Carrefour de l’Arbre, Mons-en-Pévèle… The whole part where the three of us sat in front, I was the only Frenchman, so the whole audience was on my side. It was a crazy thing I thought I was in a football stadium † It’s beautiful, I’m happy. I don’t really realize… This is my first Top 10 on a Monument.
What memories do you have of your first experience at the event?
The first time I hated it. At the time, it was the first time that the Brittany-Schuller team took part. I had come without proper preparation. I saw runners put on two bar tapes, belts, I looked at what was happening around me… I had given up because my hands were hurting. It was my great fear. I still have blisters, but I’m fine.
You had a near-perfect race…
During the recon on Friday, when I saw the violence and brutality of Arenberg, I wondered if it was a good idea to come here (laughs). But in the end I was in the front, allowing me to get through the falls, the punctures… I didn’t think a step forward would get me this far. The group of favorites came back to me and from there I tried to hold on as long as possible.
“I WAS STRESSED LIKE A NEO PRO”
You seemed in the shape of your life this Sunday!
Last year I already had a good level. In particular, I had achieved a Top 5 on a stage of Paris-Nice, whereas I had never achieved that before. I must be like good wine (laughs). It’s just fun. This is my thirteenth year with the pros. I take the races as they come, for fun, even if I don’t hide from you that I was this morning stressed like a neo-pro†
Finally, you might be able to keep going for a few more years!
Yes ! At what age did he win, Matthew Hayman? (laughs). No, I’m kidding… But you shouldn’t set limits. I turned pro at 24. I may be out of line. I am aware of how lucky I am to be able to make a living from this job. You must have fun. Cycling is my passion. I would eventually like to pass it on. Moreover, I was there today (Sunday), to pass on to young people like Matis Louvel or Amaury Capiot. I run free, without fuss.
You are another example proving that everyone is doing well at Arkéa-Samsic this season…
That’s it, we’re in a good dynamic. We evolve little by little. We recruit coaches like in the big teams, we have first-class equipment. Cycling is all about small percentages. We fill everything in and it pays off.
in Sport
