Winner of last year’s Faun-Ardèche Classic thanks to Romain Grégoire, Team Groupama-FDJ United did not enjoy the same success this Saturday on French soil. Although the young puncheur tried to resist on the day’s main climb, the race ultimately favoured the pure climbers more this year. Paul Seixas took victory, while Quentin Pacher finished twelfth. The Faun Drôme Classic will mark the second act of the weekend on Sunday.
It was a return to familiar territory for Romain Grégoire. Around Guilherand-Granges, the young rider from Besançon once again faced the very hilly profile of the Faun-Ardèche Classic. While the finale had been redesigned and the climb of Saint-Romain-de-Lerps located farther from the finish, the peloton was nonetheless faced with a longer distance (187 kilometers) and greater elevation gain (3,400 meters) than last year. Within the bunch, Groupama-FDJ United first took responsibility behind an eight-man breakaway. “We asked Enzo to set the pace because we had ambitions with Romain, given that he was the defending champion,” said Benoît Vaugrenard. “It’s also useful to ride at the front because it helps keep the riders in good position on a course where positioning is very important.” The peloton negotiated the two large loops toward the Col de la Justice without incident, closed to within a minute of the breakaway, then crossed the finish line before heading toward the climb of Saint-Romain-de-Lerps (5.3 km at 7%). “We knew that was where it would be decided,” Benoît continued. “We expected Decathlon-CMA CGM to make it hard for Paul Seixas, and that’s exactly what happened.”
“We’ll be looking for revenge” – Benoît Vaugrenard
With around 45 kilometres to go, the peloton shattered within a few hundred metres. Romain Grégoire managed to hold the wheels of the best climbers for a while before losing ground. “From that point on, we were in difficulty,” Benoît confirmed. “The field was particularly strong this year, with many riders more suited to climbing than punchy finishes. When you look at who’s up front, it really turned into a race for climbers. It was just a bit too fast for Romain. At the top of Saint-Romain-de-Lerps, he was still in a second chasing group of five riders, fighting for fifth place, but he cracked in the Val d’Enfer with 25 kilometres to go, probably paying for his earlier effort.” The French puncheur was then caught by a small peloton that included Quentin Pacher. “Quentin managed to attack in the final to secure twelfth place,” Benoît added. “It reassures him about his condition, which is positive. Still, it’s obviously a mixed day. We came here aiming for victory, or at least the podium. The result doesn’t match our goals, but we’ll be looking for revenge tomorrow on a course that should suit us better.”
