Groupama-FDJ kicked off their 2022 Tour of Catalunya in quite a good way on Monday. Under the Spanish rain, Bruno Armirail first showed himself as he got into a breakaway in the last hour of racing. The French time trial specialist remained in the lead until the last eight kilometres, before the peloton bridged across ahead of the final, uphill sprint. Quentin Pacher then got involved in the fight and went on to conquer a superb third place. As he netted his best result in the WorldTour, Attila Valter also managed to take a nice 10th place.
“It was worth trying something”, Bruno Armirail
On Monday, the peloton took the start of the Tour of Catalonia, the fourth WorldTour stage race of the season, under a gloomy sky. However, the race got off to a flying start shortly before 1 p.m., and there was good reason for that. “It happens quite often on the Tour of Catalonia that the breakaway manages to make it to the end on the first stage”, specified Philippe Mauduit. “Looking at the teams’ line-ups, there was a small probability that it would also happen today. Therefore, we had to be on the look-out without spending too much energy trying to enter the break as we knew the wind would later liven up the race”. The fight at the start lasted an hour, Bruno Armirail among others tried to follow the moves, but that was eventually a group of six that went: Jetse Bol (Burgos-BH), Marco Brenner (DSM), Jonathan Caicedo (Education First-Easy Post), Carlos Canal, Antonio Jesus Soto (Euskaltel-Euskadi) and Raul Garcia (Kern-Pharma). The peloton then calmed down, let the gap grow to four minutes, but the race kind of restarted with 90 kilometres to go as it entered an exposed portion of the route. “Echelons broke the peloton into pieces”, testified Quentin. “Part of the peloton then regrouped but there were still about twenty riders in front, so the chase kept on going. It was full gas all day”. “Two teams accelerated when we turned right, and there was only room for twenty-five guys,” said Philippe. “In the back, two groups got together and worked well together. We were still far from the finish, and we knew that we would get the advantage once we’d reach a sheltered portion. The most important was to stay united and gathered”.
After fighting for almost an hour, the two main pelotons got together fifty kilometres from the finish, and another race began. “When it all came back together, I asked if I could attack, they told me yes, so I went for it”, added Bruno Armirail. “I had decent feelings, so I thought it was worth trying something”. “It was one of the scenarios we had discussed this morning”, said Philippe. “There was a possibility that the peloton was compact an hour from the finish and that a move would go in the climb. Bruno remembered it well and gave it a go. Well played for him. It’s something you need to try. If you don’t create your own opportunities, you won’t achieve anything.” Together with Caicedo, Théo Delacroix (Intermarché-Wanty Gobert), Jonas Hvideberg (DSM), Alexander Molenaar (Burgos-BH) and Pieter Serry (Quick Step-Alpha Vinyl), the French time trial specialist took a one-minute gap at first. However, there were only thirty seconds left at the top of the last listed climb, 25 kilometres from the line, and the bunch accelerated even more to catch the fugitives. Along with two other riders, Bruno Armirail stayed away until the last eight kilometres before he was reeled in. “I thought we could make it when the guys told me at first that the bunch was not riding fast”, he said. “However, in the breakaway there was not an excellent cooperation either, and everyone was a bit tired. Unfortunately, we missed some energy. Personally, I’m coming from an altitude training camp and the legs are ok. It’s nice, and I hope to be even better over the week”.
“I’m making the most of my condition”, Quentin Pacher
In the final, the peloton organized for a final uphill sprint (1 km at 5%) and Quentin Pacher came back up front. “When we went over the line for the first time, it allowed me to see it, but I had also watched it on TV three years ago”, he said. “I realized it could suit me. This last long straight gave enough time to come back from behind and get a good position. On these uphill finishes, it can be launched from far, but you can also easily crack. It is not very simple to manage, you had to be patient. I managed to position myself correctly and when the sprint started, I was in the right place, in the wheel of Colbrelli”. The French puncher then did not move from the European champion’s shadow. After a great effort, he therefore took third place, just behind the Italian and the winner Michael Matthews. “I am satisfied, this is my first podium in the WorldTour”, he recalled. “I thought I could make it into the top-10, not necessarily onto the podium, but you have to believe in yourself and that bodes well for the next days. I didn’t know how I was going to be after Paris-Nice and Milan-Sanremo because overall fatigue is increasing, but the condition is good and I’m recovering well. I’m making the most of my condition and I hope it will last as long as possible.” “Quentin is really surprising”, concluded Philippe Mauduit. “He did a very good Paris-Nice, during which he was in the mix every day. He then rested for two or three days and kept going brilliantly on Milano-Sanremo on Saturday. Today, he was still there to take third in a difficult stage considering the weather conditions. And right behind Matthews and Colbrelli! It’s not nothing. Overall, it’s a good day. Our GC riders are within the time of the winner, Quentin finished third, Bruno was in a good break. They did everything well.”
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