Simon Guglielmi : "the show is guaranteed"
The Arkéa-Samsic team on the roads of the Strade Bianche will essentially be based around Warren Barguil, who will be able to rely on solid lieutenants such as Simon Guglielmi and Clément Russo.
“The Strade Bianche are among my favorite races on the professional calendar. I started cycling with mountain biking and cyclo-cross, and the Strade Bianche remind me a bit of these disciplines. I like the races on the roads, I enjoy them, I feel technically well because of my past as a young cyclist, and this gives me an advantage over other riders who have not had such a background. Road races like this one are all about wear and tear, it attacks from afar. It’s not a five-minute effort, and it’s all over. No, it’s a hard ride over 3 or 4 roads, it’s a long way to go and you always have to be in a good position. These are suspenseful events, whether you are watching television or racing a bike. The show is always guaranteed.”
“For me, the Strade Bianche is one of the most beautiful races on the calendar. This race is mostly made up of white dirt roads. They go quite well, they are wide sometimes uphill, other times downhill. It is a race of placement, it is necessary to run in front because the risks of breaks are numerous. The final in the streets of Siena is also beautiful, but very hard at the end of a race that is always trying and disputed. There are always people cheering us on, and the Campo square is just beautiful. It is a race that is becoming more and more popular, and many runners dream of adding it to their list of achievements, the level is always high. I think we have the means to do great things with Warren who has already achieved a top 8 in this race. My mission will be to support him on this great classic of the UCI WorldTour calendar.”
“We’re going to race for Warren Barguil at the Strade Bianche because he’s already done well in this race, which he likes and which suits him. It’s also one of his first big goals this year. We will do everything we can to put him in the best possible position. It’s an event that requires placement and is composed of beautiful bumps on white roads. Everything is in place for the success of this race. Tuscany is a beautiful region, the course is difficult with these roads, the plateau is always high. There is always suspense, which pleases both the riders and the fans of our sport. It is really a great classic on the UCI WorldTour calendar.”