Alban Picard really got the best out from the suffering of “The Hell of the North” on Sunday. In the junior version of Paris-Roubaix, the 17-year-old displayed all his qualities and led the race for nearly thirty kilometres in the final. Caught by a small group of riders after the Carrefour de l’Arbre, the young man ultimately finished seventh of the race, being the first Frenchman, the first Junior 1, and also received the John Degenkolb Trophy for his combativity.
110 kilometres, and 17 cobbled sectors. This was the menu for the junior edition of Paris-Roubaix on Sunday. While the Trouée d’Arenberg was obviously not on the route, some of the most iconic sectors, such as Mons-en-Pévèle and the Carrefour de l’Arbre, were indeed lying ahead. “The briefing was quite simple,” explained Jimmy Turgis, at the head of the group. “This race is in the team’s DNA, and it was our first time in the Juniors edition. So it’s a race where we were really expected and where we needed to have a conquering spirit. They really got the message because that’s the approach they had throughout the week and during the race”. On the race, precisely, Augustin Fahy and Timéo Louison suffered a crash and a puncture respectively in the first thirty kilometres, but the rest of the race proved calmer until Mons-en-Pévèle, where the race really opened up. “Alban had to go up the road at that point, and that’s what he did,” Jimmy said. “I was in a very bad position in the first part of the race; I kept falling,” said Alban. “It was really messy. I started to come back little by little, and as we left Mons-en-Pévèle, I was in a good position. A big crash split the peloton, and I was in front. I accelerated a first time, they came back, but I kept on going and went away like that”.
“I would have signed straight away for this result,” Alban Picard
With more than forty kilometres to go, Alban Picard took the lead of the race and kept on going with Arthur Alexandre (France). “In the back, we had four riders in a peloton of forty,” Jimmy added. “Only Timéo was missing. Unfortunately, that’s where the race went wrong for us, as they all punctured in sectors 7 and 6. So, only Alban was left in front, and the others were dispersed among distanced groups. Yet, they continued to fight hard to get the best possible result.” At the front, Alban Picard and his breakaway companion saw their lead fluctuate between ten and thirty seconds in this final hour of racing, and it was therefore with a very thin margin that they tackled the final big sector of the day: the Carrefour de l’Arbre. “The goal was to be one step ahead of this sector, and that’s what I did, so I’m happy,” said the rider from the CC Marmande. “Arthur Alexandre crashed, I didn’t want to take too many risks, and six guys came back to me at the end of the sector. I managed to hold the wheels, but I couldn’t do any more. I was dead.”
After a thirty-kilometre, hard effort, the young man was unable to compete for victory until the end. “He was a bit dropped on the last false flat with three kilometres to go,” Jimmy explained. “I no longer had the legs to keep up, I had cramps, but I was able to limit my losses to stay away from the peloton,” Alban added. On the finish line, this earned him a very nice seventh place. “The goal is always to win, but I’m already very happy with this top 10 and especially with the way I achieved it,” Alban confirmed. “If someone had told me this winter that I would finish seventh in Paris-Roubaix, I would have signed straight away.” “He finished first Frenchman and first junior 1,” Jimmy added. “He also won the John Degenkolb Trophy, which rewards the most combative rider of the day. Overall, the team really met our expectations, and we left our mark on this U19 Paris-Roubaix. The riders had the required shape, and a special mention goes to Alban, who was truly impressive on the cobblestones. This bodes well for the future. It’s a very big result for him, and a very good result for the team as well. We obviously came here hoping to win this race or reach the podium, but Alban’s performance remains very satisfying.”
“This family spirit is truly appreciated”, Jimmy Turgis
The Junior program coordinator also wanted to give an overview of this wonderful day. “In terms of attitude, it was very good, there’s nothing to complain about,” he concluded. “The spirit was what we wanted. They were aggressive, united, and fought until the end despite the challenges that exist in Paris-Roubaix. They respected this race and pushed themselves to the limit to have no regrets. That was really important to us. Despite the frustration for some at the finish, everyone was starry-eyed. From the recon with the WorldTour team to the legendary Paris-Roubaix showers, they experienced some great moments this week. We also have to thank the four riders’ parents who were there and helped us with the mechanical and feeding zones. We could compete this Paris-Roubaix in superb conditions from a logistical point of view. Finally, I must highlight all the work done by the staff, which was really perfect. This family spirit that we see in our junior team is truly remarkable and appreciated.”