It was a potentially tricky stage, but the Groupama-FDJ United cycling team came through it safely. The opening day of the Tour de la Provence this Friday brought extremely difficult weather conditions for the peloton, which was ultimately beaten by the day’s breakaway. Just two seconds behind stage winner Arnaud Tendon, however, Lorenzo Germani (6th), Blake Agnoletto (8th) and Victor Loulergue (9th) all secured top-10 finishes—proof of their excellent positioning throughout the day. Guillaume Martin-Guyonnet also finished safely within the peloton ahead of the decisive stage on Montagne de Lure.
The peloton had surely hoped for far better conditions for its opening day in the south of France. Unfortunately, heavy rain accompanied the riders from Marseille to Saint-Victoret on this first stage of the Tour de la Provence. “We didn’t really know what to expect at the start,” explained sports director Tanguy Turgis. “We were wondering whether the weather would open up the race or if it would end in a big sprint. We had asked Victor and Lorenzo to follow any early moves of around ten riders, and the rest of the team to stay around Guillaume, who was the priority. Today, we were taking a defensive approach.” A four-man breakaway formed early, from the Col de la Gineste, prompting the entire Groupama-FDJ United squad to regroup around the French climber. He was supported by Lorenzo Germani, neo-pro Titouan Fontaine, and four riders from the development team (“La Conti”): Blake Agnoletto, Victor Loulergue, Rémi Daumas and Esteban Foucher.
“They rode really well as a team” – Tanguy Turgis.
Despite being a very young squad, they handled the key sections of the course perfectly. “We had to stay alert and together when we reached the hilly section midway through the race, and the riders did that very naturally,” Tanguy added. “We knew the descent at kilometer 90 was very technical, and even more so in today’s rain. The guys were well positioned and did a great job. They were never caught out and always stayed around Guillaume. When a team is well organized all day, it shows real team spirit and sets you up well for the crucial moments. Fred [Guesdon] told them several times how well they were racing in that regard.” In the final hour of racing, as the peloton intensified the chase behind the breakaway, the leader and his teammates never left the front third of the bunch. “With ten kilometers to go, there was a technical section through town and a tunnel where positioning was crucial,” added Tanguy. “The guys were up there again, we came out at the front, and the peloton split behind.”
The bunch was therefore fragmented heading into the final five kilometres, behind a two-man breakaway that managed to hold on in a final made tricky by rain and soaked roads. “The key point of the sprint was at 800 metres,” Tanguy explained. “The guys took the lead to get into position, especially Titouan and Lorenzo. There were big puddles on the right-hand side between 600 and 300 metres where nobody could move up. By pushing hard at 800 metres, the boys secured good positioning, and then everyone more or less held their place. That’s how we managed to finish sixth, eighth and ninth—it was all about positioning.” Lorenzo Germani crossed the line first, followed by Blake Agnoletto and Victor Loulergue, the latter also claiming the best young rider’s jersey. Guillaume Martin-Guyonnet finished safely within the main bunch. “The priority was to bring Guillaume home safely, and that mission was accomplished because they rode really well as a team and showed the right attitude”, concluded Tanguy. “Most of them are young riders from the development team who don’t yet have all the reflexes of the pro peloton, but everything was done perfectly—well guided by the experience of Guillaume and Lorenzo. It was quite enjoyable to watch.”
