“You can't let go, you can't let go” … The tenacity of Valentin Paret-Peintre paid at the top of Mont Ventoux

It was a Paret-Peintre Valentin with angels, but exhausted who appeared at the microphone of France Télévisions after his incredible victory at the top of Mont Ventoux on the 16th stage of the Grande Boucle 2025, Tuesday July 22. “It's extraordinary, it was not the plan because I really thought that (Tadej) Pogacar wanted to win the stage and that he was going to padlock the race. I did not believe it too much”explained the first tricolor winner at the top of the Provence giant from Richard Virenque, 23 years ago.

When he saw two teammates of the yellow jersey invite himself in the breakaway, the runner of Soudal Quick-Step understood that he had a blow to play. “I told myself that we were going to be able to take the field and try to play victory. I felt really very good, I had two teammates with me and I told them that in this group, I thought I had my chances to win”he said after raising his arms in front of the Irishman Ben Healy (EF Education-Easypost).

“I do not realize! A victory on the Tour is extraordinary but at Mount Ventoux, it is still something different. In the final, Ben Healy was very strong in his attacks, I told myself that it is a victory in the Ventoux: 'You can't let go, you can't let go. I really had trouble in the last 100 meters to double it”added “VPP”.