Giro d’Italia

“A Grand Tour is a key step in a career, especially the very first one, as it will be the case for me in this Giro! As a rider, we all have ticked off the races that make us dream for our career. Often, we tick off Monuments, I am lucky enough to have done four already but the Grand Tours are part of something great. It’s unique to our sport, this uninterrupted three-week competition format, you have to be able to do it and I’m so excited to try.

Whatever the Grand Tour, what I wanted to do was riding with Arnaud. I already learned a lot from him last year. My role is clear: depending on the stage, it is to neutralize the breakaway or to be in the first elements of the final. Whatever happens, I am the first man of action in the train.

We are a team of 8 riders but there is also a whole staff that follows us during these three weeks, it’s an adventure that goes beyond sport. Later on, we will have common memories. I am expecting a great sporting and human adventure, made of ups and downs, but if possible with many ups and victories (laughs).”

“There is always impatience before a Grand Tour. You know you’re in for a great adventure. I have very good memories from the Giro, especially in 2020, claming four wins and the cyclamen jersey. I dream of repeating this, but I don’t want to undervalue it, a victory is never easy to achieve. I haven’t won this season yet but that doesn’t affect my motivation. I’ve been through difficult times in my career and I know how to handle them. The train trusts me, I trust them, the objective is to raise my arms!”