Classic Loire-Atlantique, Matîs Louvel 3rd
Matîs Louvel obtains his second podium of the season in Loire-Atlantique, after the one obtained on the Vuelta Murcia.
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On the line
“I didn’t want us to arrive with 15 riders to fight for the victory. So I attacked to try to reduce the number of riders, but it never took too much. Alan, who had lost contact with this breakaway, came back to us in the final. He took a last big relay from me, pulling away at 200 metres. I should have started my sprint a bit earlier, I missed a bit. That’s the way it is. The feeling is good, it was a good test after Paris-Nice, because the race was very tonic. I am in good condition, it is great”.
The debrief’
“The young riders were present in this 2022 edition of the Classic Loire-Atlantique, even if it was the experience that was put forward at the beginning of the race with Nicolas Edet, who was able to take the first breakaway of the day. Once this one was caught, Alan Riou, the outgoing winner, and Matîs Louvel also took the lead. The peloton never came back on this group of 15 riders who were fighting for the victory. In the final part of the race, Matîs tried to attack. He couldn’t make the break, but had nevertheless the resources to compete in the final sprint, which was well led by Alan. This proved to be very close. Matîs managed to get a new podium for the team this season by finishing 3rd “.