Classic Faun Ardèche, Warren Barguil 8th
Warren Barguil took 8th place in the first part of the Ardéchois-Dromois weekend.
Photo Getty Images
On the line
“I was a little bit in doubt with the end of the Volta Ao Algarve, but I felt better during this day. Here, there is a big field of riders and I see that I am in the game. I started my sprint too far back, but fortunately I didn’t get caught up too much. It’s a type of finish that I like with a sprint that wears out. Behind McNulty, I think there was a way to go after the group that was following him, but I was too much of a wait-and-see attitude. There was a big tempo during the whole day, it’s the first time that we have done such a tempo on this difficult course. I would like to congratulate the organisers of this event once again, as it is a bit like the opening race in Belgium, with the beginning of the French classics here“.
The debrief’
“Warren is at his level, afterwards the field is very strong, worthy of a World-Top event. Maybe he was a little bit late at a moment when he was good, but anyway, at the end, there is no discussion about the first three riders who were above the rest, and Julian Alaphilippe and Primoz Roglic tried to go but didn’t succeed. The final was so difficult that it was done on the pedal between riders in great condition at the beginning of the season. Both Warren and Elijah are in the right timing for the upcoming races”.