Simon Guglielmi : "the Dauphiné is child's dream
From Sunday, the Savoyard will discover the Critérium du Dauphiné, the race that made him dream as a child. He tells us about it.
“The Critérium du Dauphiné is obviously an important race in the season for the team Arkéa-Samsic. And of course we are all very motivated to try to shine during this very dense week offering a shortcut of what we will find on the Tour in a few weeks: flat stages, time trials and high mountain stages for the final of this competition. I have the motivation, I hope to have a correct level during this week which will be very difficult, demanding and above all that I will have the means to enjoy myself. The goal will be to do very well in the Dauphiné in preparation for the Tour de France. The final of the Critérium du Dauphiné is very concentrated, full of difficulties, and it is at this moment that I will be able to evaluate my current condition.”
“It’s great! The Critérium du Dauphiné is the major race on the professional calendar in my region. As a kid, I used to go every year to watch the riders pass by the roadside. It was like a party. It’s a very nice competition and one of the objectives of my 2022 season. So it’s an important event for me. On the last day at the finish in Plateau de Solaison my supporters’ club will be there. This also motivates me. I’ll tell you a secret, when I was younger, I always said: “If one day I become a professional, my objective will be to take part in the Critérium du Dauphiné, to be in the lead on a stage and to win it”. This is the first part of my dream come true. I have prepared well with the altitude training in Sierra Nevada, I feel in good shape and my objective will be to help Warren as much as possible during the mountain stages.”
“The Critérium du Dauphiné offers chances to all riders: sprinters, rouleurs with a time trial, and traditionally to climbers with the final in the Alps which is always strong. This 2022 edition will be intense in terms of course and difficulty. We will have to be solid to get a good result. The time trial could be a good test for Thibault Guernalec in view of the French Championships. Matîs can be our trump card if it happens in a small sprint committee on the first two stages. With Warren we will focus more on the weekend to try to get a result, taking into account that the Critérium du Dauphiné is always a great point of passage in the perspective of the Tour de France. We have to be in good condition for this race to hope to get a good result in July. The group around Warren is, we have put all the assets on our side with the setting up of this training camp in Sierra Nevada with the aim of performing as soon as the Critérium du Dauphiné.”