After two difficult first days, the Groupama-FDJ cycling team tried to regain momentum on Thursday in the Tour du Limousin – Périgord – Nouvelle Aquitaine. This resulted in Rémy Rochas being part of the day’s breakaway, although the French rider was unable to make it to the end. Tom Donnenwirth was forced to withdraw from the race on the eve of the closing stage in Limoges.
Down to four riders and out of the GC battle since Wednesday, the Groupama-FDJ team needed to be opportunistic to get something out of stage 3 of the Tour du Limousin – Périgord – Nouvelle Aquitaine. After 182 grueling kilometres, a 1100-metre climb averaging 8% was set to decide the winner. “We wanted to keep Tom for the finish, because we felt he could take the win in that scenario,” explained Benoît Vaugrenard. “However, we knew that Arkéa-B&B Hotels could let the breakaway fight for the bonus seconds. So it was interesting to enter a strong group, especially with Rémy. The final climb suited him too, but there were still riders faster than him in the peloton. If we wanted to give ourselves a chance of winning, we thought it would be a good idea to put Rémy in the breakaway and keep Tom for the final.” After some twenty kilometres, the first objective was met, as the French climber managed to slip into a nine-man breakaway, whose gap quickly stabilized at around 3’30.
“We’ll try again,” Benoît Vaugrenard
However, the second part of the initial plan vanished around the halfway point when Tom Donnenwirth was forced to abandon. “He didn’t have good feelings, he felt empty,” Benoît said. “It’s very disappointing because the Tour du Limousin really suits him. He had the characteristics to shine in a race like this.” At the front, Rémy Rochas entered the final fifty kilometres with a two-minute lead over the pack, but the latter then came back really close. “It got complicated because some teams had interests and came to chase, which ruined the breakaway’s chances,” Benoît added. “That said, they didn’t work very well together at the front. I think there would have been a great opportunity if they had cooperated better.” With thirty kilometres to go, Rémy Rochas momentarily broke away with Quentin Bezza at the front of the race, before being caught by the bunch around fifteen kilometres from the finish line. The last fugitives were caught at the flamme rouge, and the uphill finish saw Paul Lapeira claim victory. On Friday, Groupama-FDJ will head to Limoges with three riders. “The finish could suit Lewis [Bower], but we’ll need to see how he feels,” concluded Benoît. “The breakaway could also go far if there is a good composition. We’ll try again, that’s all we can do.”
