Warren Barguil: "A collective success”
On the line
“This Tour du Limousin-Périgord-Nouvelle Aquitaine 2021 has been hard every day, and the heat today made it even harder. Dorian said he was sick last night, and on a stage like this it’s hard to hide. I had a great job from the whole team, everyone protected me. I still believe in it until the line, I did not want to disappoint my team-mates who gave their all for me. I worked hard after the Tour and this victory is the reward for my investment. I am also moved because it is the first time in the professional ranks that I win in front of them and my child. I am very motivated for the rest of the season. I am also happy to win my very first stage race in the pros, I had a close call a few years ago in Norway, and this time I win after a great battle with Franck Bonnamour in the final of this stage”.
« Journée parfaite. Nous n’avons presque jamais roulé sur ce Tour de Limousin-Périgord-Nouvelle Aquitaine, et nous gagnons. Ce succès nous le devons à la force collective et la tactique mise en place, et Warren a su conclure. Comme quoi il faut toujours croire en ses chances jusqu’à la ligne. Nous avons tous parfaitement bossé aujourd’hui, pour ma part je passe la bosse avec les meilleurs, je roule ensuite sur le plateau, puis j’ai repris la barre dans les trois kilomètres car j’avais entendu que Dorian Godon avait lâché prise avec le peloton et qu’il fallait une cassure de quinze secondes. La journée a vraiment été parfaite et bravo à tout le monde ».
The debrief
“There is a lot of emotion at the finish. I told my riders in the bus this morning that we could win the general classification of the Tour du Limousin. I am happy for Warren. He is a winner, Warren, and I am one too. It’s good timing. The team rode perfectly. I would say hats off to Warren, but also hats off to his team-mates because it wasn’t easy during the four days of racing. This Tour du Limousin was a high-voltage edition with a difficult race every day. I am really happy for him, but also for the team because this success is the success of the whole team, staff included. Warren’s child was there at the finish with his parents and saw him win, so emotionally this victory means a lot to him. I’m sure that this success will also help him in his quest for other performances between now and the end of the season. We are all in this business to experience this kind of emotion. I don’t forget our two riders who crashed in Belgium, Clément and Nacer, in these moments of joy”.