In line with his good start to the season, Victor Loulergue has performed well in recent days at the Circuit des Ardennes. Riding with the Groupama-FDJ United development team, the 21-year-old finished 10th, 5th, and 3rd in the first three stages. Ahead of the final two rounds, he sits sixth overall, with the general classification set to be partly decided on Saturday.
The opening stage in the Ardennes featured a relatively short 128-kilometre route on Wednesday between Villers-Semeuse and Saint-Laurent. It included one key difficulty: the Romery climb (1.3 km at 6.8%). “We had to climb it four times, and we had targeted this finish because it suited Victor well,” explained Jérôme Gannat. For most of the day, everything seemed under control, with a breakaway of four riders well managed. However, in the final lap, three riders launched a counterattack and disrupted the expected scenario. “We were a bit surprised, they ended up being seven in front, and the organization in the peloton wasn’t perfect,” the sports director explained. “We thought they would be caught in the final kilometres, especially with the climb, but they tackled it with a 25-second gap, which was enough for three of them.” Behind, the peloton’s best punchers battled it out, and Victor Loulergue finished 10th, which didn’t fully reflect his level. “He attacked from the bottom of the climb to try to bridge across to the break, but he was a bit on the limit with 500 metres to go,” Jérôme added. “He still finished in the first group, so we limited the losses, but there was some disappointment. This stage suited him, and we slightly missed our goal.”
“Victor’s consistency is quite impressive” – Jérôme Gannat
Thanks to two bonus seconds picked up earlier in the day, Victor Loulergue still was fourth overall, while Baptiste Grégoire and Yann Dubois were five seconds behind. On Thursday, the second stage was marked by an early neutralization after a crash involving around thirty riders, including Yann Dubois. He was able to restart when racing resumed, after which a five-man breakaway formed. Once again, the peloton believed it had things under control, but three of the escapees managed to hold off the bunch in Rethel after 175 kilometres. Fifteen seconds behind the winner, Victor Loulergue finished second in the sprint of the pack, taking fifth place on the stage. On Friday, the peloton was more attentive behind another five-rider break during the third stage between Lac de Bairon and Lac des Vieilles Forges. “After 115 kilometres, we reached the Ardennes hills, with two climbs of 3.5 km at 5%,” Jérôme said. “The peloton reeled in the break after a strong acceleration, and we began to animate the race to create a selection. Rémi and the others tried to make moves, but the climbs weren’t steep enough to create real gaps.”
At the first passage over the finish line, with 20 kilometers remaining, nearly 80 riders were still in the peloton. But a few minutes later, a duo from the ColoQuick team broke away. “They attacked on a slight false flat and quickly gained about twenty seconds,” Jérôme explained. “We tried to chase with several teams, but they were very strong, and we stayed about fifteen seconds behind.” At the finish, the two Danish riders even held a 17-second advantage over the peloton, in which Victor Loulergue won in the sprint. “It’s a bit frustrating because Victor is in great form and showed he has what it takes to win from a reduced bunch,” Jérôme said. “He’s in good condition, as he has been since the start of the season. He hasn’t dropped off. He’s just taken 10th, 5th, and 3rd in consecutive stages. Two weeks ago, he was second at the Classic d’Annemasse, tenth at the Youngster Coast Challenge before that, and fifth at the Tour des 100 Communes. His consistency is quite impressive.” After three stages, Victor Loulergue sits sixth overall, 17 seconds behind the leader. “Aside from Soan, everyone is still in contention for the general classification,” Jérôme concluded. “That’s very positive, and tomorrow will be a real test. With nearly 200 kilometers and 3,600 meters of elevation gain, it will be a tough stage, but there are still great opportunities ahead.”
