“I am neither favorite nor outsider, but …”
Physically, how are you a few hours before the French championship and a few days before the departure of the Tour?
I feel good. The past weeks allowed me to find better sensations, so it's positive. The races that I played recently went well. Now, it's been a long time since I have done a course as difficult as that of Sunday. It will be an opportunity to gauge myself on this type of terrain. I am neither favorite nor outsider, but in any case, I intend to go as far as possible.
Have you gave up the course? Have you ever been rolling on it?
No, I just arrived at the hotel half an hour ago. I made the trip today. Normally, we will go see the course tomorrow, maybe around noon. This is what we do in general, so I will discover it tomorrow. I still watched a little, especially videos from Philippe Gilbert on the 2011 Tour de France. I see the final bump, but it will be necessary to roll it to really realize.
At first glance, you tell yourself that it is not really a circuit for you or you say to yourself “why not”?
I say to myself “why not go far in the race”. Afterwards, I am not a favorite, and I don't think I am out of Outsider either. We have runners in the team who are really well cut for this kind of route. The objective will be to hold as long as possible in the ladder. There is 4,200 meters of elevation, it is almost a big mountain stage. In addition, they announce more than 36 degrees, so heat will play a role. In general, I support the heat well, but it can also play tricks on me. You will have to manage well, count your cartridges. Whoever passes in the red will find it difficult to come back. It will be an endurance and management race. And then I have the family who will be there, so I plan to have fun.
“There are more than 150 employees concerned …”
A few days before the French championship, your team learned the withdrawal of the two sponsors. How do you live this?
Inevitably, it's a hard blow. For us the runners, but also for all the supervision, there are more than 150 employees concerned. We know that cycling is based on a fragile economy. I learned it a few hours before you. We didn't expect that. Now that doesn't mean there will be no buyers. The team keeps hope. Maybe it's a big alert to say that the structure is there, ready, but that it needs support. Of course it's complicated for everyone.
You who have always run in French teams, is it even more complicated for them to survive internationally?
Yes, clearly. You know it as much as me, in France, in terms of wage earners, it is not the same deal as abroad. With all the charges and the economic model, for the same budget, it is more limited in France. It's like that. It makes me think a little – without doing policy – downwards budgets from the Ministry of Sports. Even if there are still public funds, it is the same in the private sector: sport in France is always more complicated to finance.
You haven't won this season yet. Does that weigh you or not at all?
I'm not going to say that it weighs me, but it bothers me, to stay polite. I'm not going to look for an apology: the bicycle is on the field that it is played out. I lacked success, I was not in good shape when it was necessary. Right now, it's better, but the races where I could have performed have passed. I keep confidence. Perseverance and self -denial is my strong. Even if some could say “he should let go”, I hold on. I give the maximum and I have no regrets on my investment. On this, I am in my pumps.
How is the atmosphere in the team after this announcement?
I just found the team half an hour ago, so I couldn't really feel the atmosphere yet. But since the start of the season, motivation has been there. Whether there is a team or not behind next year, we all have short contracts and we are all competitors. The investment is total. It will take a little time to re -mobilize, but we know that high -level sport is hard. You have to adapt and continue to fight.
“The selection has not yet been revealed”
As a sprinter, what do you think of the final of the Tour de France this year, with the arrival in Montmartre instead of the Champs-Élysées?
This is one more difficulty for the last day. It is always said that it is a parade, but the Champs-Élysées, it already hurts. There, with Montmartre, it will be even harder. There is practically no chance that it will happen to the sprint. Some runners may not have any ambition for this last step and choose to stop before the mountain. There may be less motivation for some.
In the team, who has the best card to play on Sunday?
I cannot answer yet, I have just arrived, and we have not done the briefing. We know that Kevin is very fit, but that does not mean that it will be easy for him. On the contrary, it will have a lot of people on the back. There is also Ewen, Clément Venturini … and others who love escapes. With the heat, maybe the breakaway will go to the end. You will have to manage your efforts well. I think it will be a very open championship, with many runners capable of being there in the final. There may also be failures. It promises an interesting race to follow.
Finally, is the Tour de France already in your head?
I cannot say that I have it in mind since the selection has not yet been revealed. You will have to see Manu Hubert in the coming days. I have no assurance of being there.
