Arnaud Gérard: "The Samyn is always a very intense event"
Pre-race
“I have ridden the Grand Prix Samyn three times, a very tough cobbled race. The first hundred kilometres are on the line, and there is a final loop to be ridden four times, with many cobbled sectors. The finish is a beautiful, slightly uphill finish, it’s a great race for me, when Hugo won this race I was his teammate. I am confident for this race. It’s really a competition that I enjoy”.
“The Samyn Grand Prix is a special race for me because it was my first ever podium in the professional ranks when I was not yet a professional. It is a very difficult race, with a lot of kilometres to ride, cobbled hills, and at the end the strongest riders fight for the victory, sometimes in a sprint in small groups. We will have a very strong team in this competition with Jenthe, Hugo. I hope I will be in the same condition as in 2020, it’s a great race to start the season”.
The briefing
“The Grand Prix Samyn has all the ingredients of the Flanders races. Last year Hugo finished 2nd, and the victory was decided by a small group of twelve riders. The race is divided into a road section and a circuit section, with four stages to complete. There are four cobbled sectors on top. It is always a very intense race. We will have several assets at our disposal with Hugo, who will make his comeback in Belgium, but also Jenthe, Luca Mozzato who can be interesting on this kind of races, without forgetting Mathis Le Berre who showed great qualities, a great desire compared to the cobbled races in Belgium, on the roads of the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad.