He did try everything, but it ultimately was not enough. Back at the front of the race on Monday at the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, just one day after his breakaway towards Saint-Ismier, Clément Braz Afonso boldly took his chance on Stage 2. More than forty kilometres from the finish, the 26-year-old first tried to anticipate with another man before launching a solo move, only to see several rivals bridge back. Twenty kilometres later, he was just a few metres short of reaching the final climb alongside Anthon Charmig. Still in contention for a podium finish until the closing metres, he eventually had to settle for a bittersweet fifth place.
Following an unusually demanding opening stage, the peloton faced a very long stage on Monday during the second day of racing at the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes. More than 230 kilometres were on the menu towards Le Puy-en-Velay, featuring no fewer than 3,600 metres of elevation gain. That pointed towards one likely scenario. “We knew the breakaway had a strong chance of making it to the finish because it was a long and difficult stage, the day before an important team time trial,” explained Thierry Bricaud. “We expected very few teams to be willing to control the race, so the plan was to be up the road.” The fight for the break lasted more than twenty kilometres, and it was only on the Col du Chatain, the first climb of the day, that the peloton finally allowed ten riders to go clear : among them was Clément Braz Afonso, already on the attack the day before. “I wasn’t feeling great at the start, but I stayed patient,” he said. “When a counterattack went in the climb, I followed with a slight delay but managed to make it across.” The attackers quickly built a five-minute advantage. “We soon realised the breakaway had every chance of fighting for the stage win, which was our sole objective for the day,” added Thierry. “It was all about the stage,” confirmed Clément, the highest-placed rider in the breakaway on general classification but with no interest in chasing the yellow jersey.
“I took my chance” – Clément Braz Afonso
With little pressure coming from the peloton, the breakaway managed its effort accordingly and still held more than four and a half minutes heading into the final forty kilometres and the penultimate climb of the day : Côte des Baraques (4.2 km at 6.6%). “We especially didn’t want to get caught out far from the finish,” said Thierry. “Clément was therefore opportunistic when Veistroffer attacked.” Forty-five kilometres from the line, the Groupama-FDJ United rider used a first bullett. “I was at the back of the group when I saw Baptiste attack,” he explained. “I thought it could be a good idea to get a head start. I took my chance, hoping the chase behind wouldn’t be too organised, but in the end they worked together quite well. Looking back, I don’t think it was the best idea because he really put me under pressure on the flat, and I got to the climbs a bit exhausted.” Nevertheless, the pair started the Côte des Baraques with a fifteen-second advantage, and halfway up the climb, Clément Braz Afonso dropped his companion and opened a twenty-second gap over the chasers. “On paper, it was a very smart move,” said Thierry. “But there were still thirty kilometres left. He never truly got clear, everyone hung on, and eventually they came back.”
The breakaway was still reduced to seven riders. After first being joined by two competitors, Clément Braz Afonso saw four more riders return following an intense chase. The group then reached the foot of the Côte de Saint-Vidal (2 km at 6.8%), the final climb of the day, together with fourteen kilometres remaining. Alert and well positioned from the bottom, the young man matched the pace set by Anthon Charmig, but near the summit the Frenchman was forced to concede a few metres following a decisive acceleration from the Dane. “That was a bit of a blow mentally,” he admitted. “The energy I spent earlier may have been what I lacked to stay with him. I was still climbing well, but on the flat sections I just couldn’t push a big gear anymore.” “He was only missing a little something to fight for the win, but we were also up against a very strong rider,” said Thierry. “It’s frustrating, but there were no mistakes. At the end of a day like this, everyone is riding on courage and exhaustion.” Although he reached the summit only five seconds behind Charmig, Clément Braz Afonso was unable to close the gap on the descending false flat. He was first caught by Raúl García Pierna and then by two more riders, while the Scandinavian rider rode away to victory.
“These days will make him stronger” – Thierry Bricaud
The podium, however, remained within reach. “I tried to attack with 500 metres to go because I could feel the cramps coming,” said Clément. “If they had started looking at each other, it might have worked, but they didn’t. Once the sprint started, it was over.” He therefore had to settle for fifth place despite an aggressive and generous ride.“It’s a poor reward for the day he had, but what mattered was trying to win,” said Thierry. “Of course, second is better than fifth, but that’s not the main thing. What matters is the mindset he showed throughout the day. He raced to win the stage, and it came down to very little. To win races at this level, everything has to fall into place. He was missing a little something today, but these are also the kinds of days that will make him stronger and help him learn for the future. If he keeps racing this way, his time will come. He hasn’t often found himself in this position before, but today he was there, and it will happen more and more often. Success also comes through setbacks. He will grow from this experience and eventually raise his arms in victory. It was still a great day for him and for the team, and that’s the mindset we need to keep.”
While the stage result did not fully reflect his performance, Clément Braz Afonso was rewarded with the combativity award and the mountains classification jersey. “It’s a small consolation,” he said in conclusion. “I have mixed feelings. It’s great when I think about where I’ve come from and the fact that this is only my second WorldTour season, but it’s also disappointing because the race didn’t unfold the way I had hoped. Maybe I spent too much energy, but sometimes anticipating is what pays off. I tried something today, and it turned out not to be the right strategy, but experience comes little by little. I’m already proud that I managed to be up front again today.” Two minutes behind him, Quentin Pacher crossed the line in 17th place in a peloton that also included Rudy Molard, Clément Berthet, Guillaume Martin-Guyonnet and Maxime Decomble. On Tuesday, the riders will face a 28-kilometre team time trial around Perreux.
