315 … this is the number of days that separates Christophe Laporte of his last race and his victory over Paris-Tours In October 2024. An absence of ten long months which will therefore end this Sunday, August 17, the French of the Visma | Lease a Bike can finally resume competition during the Classic of Hamburg (ADAC Cyclassics Hamburg in orginal version)! After months of galleys marked by his infection at cytomegalovirus, a virus From the same family as that of the Labial herpes or chickenpox which held him away from the bicycle during an eternity, the European champion and vice-world champion was finally able to re-work properly this summer, until they find a sufficient form to pin a bib again. “”I have been working for this moment for months and I can't wait. It was the most difficult period of my cycling career. I had never experienced anything like this before“said Laporte In the press release published by his team for the classic German WorldTour.
Video – Laporte has not run from her victorious Paris -Tours!
“It took time, but I'm ready now”
“This summer, I was able to train well and I can't wait to wear a bib again. Finding my shape was not easy after such a long break. In recent weeks, I have spent time with my teammates in Tignes. It was fantastic to find the group. I lacked this feeling terribly“, says the one who had to watch his team teams on television during the classics then the Tour de France. “I was on the alert all along. Seeing Wout roll alone on the Champs-Élysées was really beautiful, great for him and the whole team. At the same time, it was sometimes frustrating to look at races in which I would participate normally. When we tell ourselves that we will be better in a week and it doesn't work, it's very hard. It took time, but I'm ready now“He says.
Laporte will therefore find the competition on a race that had seen him throw Olav Kooij towards the victory in 2024. sick, the Dutchman will give way to Wout van Aert in Hamburg, but the “bees” remain ambitious even without the title holder, with Niklas Behrens, Attila Valter, Loe van Belle, Menno House et Edoardo Affini Alongside the Belgian and the French. “”I hope we can aim high this year with Wout. I hope to be strong enough to help him and the team. Without rhythm, it's difficult to predict, of course. The most important thing for me is simply to find the bicycle and no longer follow the team only on television“.
A recovery which should precede a program loaded at the end of the season to Christophe Laporte In order to catch up with lost time, even if its calendar has not yet been revealed. “”For the moment, the priority is to gain pace in the race, for next year. My main goal is to win races again. I want to find this feeling. I must first find my best level. Once it is done, the good results will naturally follow“, He concluded.
