And two for Arnaud Démare in Brussels. The French sprinter from the Groupama-FDJ formation sent a message with a view to participating in the Tour de France (July 1 to 23) by winning the Brussels Classic on Sunday.
Démare, already victorious in 2017 in what was once Paris-Brussels, sprinted ahead of Dane Tobias Lund Andresen and Belgian Jordi Meeus.
The triple French champion (2014, 2017, 2020) was part of a group of 23 attackers which included other sprinters (Biniam Girmay, Bryan Coquard, Tom Van Asbroeck, Clément Venturini) but not the Belgian Tim Merlier, one of today’s favourites.
Winner of the second stage of the Boucles de la Mayenne a week ago, the sprinter of the Groupama-FDJ formation signed in the shadow of the Stade Roi-Baudouin the second success of the season.
“I was not at my level at the start of the season,” admitted the former winner of Milan-Sanremo (2016). “But I’m mounting the pressure. There, I feel that it’s gone”, he added, probably to Marc Madiot, with a view to a selection for the Tour de France which he hopes to compete in. .
The manager of Groupame-FDJ will have to decide when revealing his selection for the Grande Boucle between a team totally devoted to its leader David Gaudu (4th in 2022) or a formation also aiming for stage victories in the sprint, with Démare therefore .
Perhaps motivated by his recent fatherhood – “I kiss my wife and my little Margaux”, he said on arrival – the native of Beauvais (31) was attentive when the decisive breakaway s is drawn halfway.
“It started very early, you had to be present. Especially on this new course, more rugged than in the past”, he explained before analyzing “a complicated sprint”.
“I was in the wheel of Girmay, maybe a little far when it launched the 200 meters. But once in the lead I knew I was going to win,” he rejoiced.
Source: Challenges en temps réel : accueil by www.challenges.fr.
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