After a very lively final – and also a very rainy one – Valentin Madouas did keep his place in the top 10 of the general classification in the Tour du Limousin-Périgord – Nouvelle Aquitaine this Wednesday. However, at the end of stage 2, the former French champion lost more than twenty-four seconds to the day’s winner, Alex Baudin, who went clear on the final climb. On the eve of the queen stage, the Groupama-FDJ rider sits in seventh position, thirty-three seconds behind the leader.
Although the elevation gain was slightly lower today than the day before on the Tour du Limousin-Périgord – Nouvelle Aquitaine, the climbs were mostly gathered in the last seventy-five kilometres of this second stage to Terrasson-Lavilledieu. No less than seven climbs had to be tackled one after the other, suggesting a hectic end to the stage. “The scenario was quite simple at first with a Caja Rural-Seguros RGA controlling the breakaway,” introduced Benoît Vaugrenard. “Then, when we got to the final, it was mainly an elimination race, which is what we had kind of expected.” The morning breakaway’s advantage therefore decreased, while the attacks came relatively early within the pack. “Valentin had to wait as late as possible to make his move,” explained Benoît. “The others had to follow the moves, particularly with Decathlon-AG2R, while Paul had to hang on as much as possible. We then had to see the situation at the top of the last climb.” Well before reaching this point, Lenny Martinez, Enzo Paleni and Cyril Barthe were seen at the head of the peloton to cover certain accelerations or launch some. Many attacks did occur in the last thirty kilometres, but the peloton eventually got organized to come back right behind the fugitives at the bottom of the last difficulty, the Côte de Beauregard (3 km at 5.7%).
“Someone was stronger than us”, Benoît Vaugrenard
Only Alexis Guérin was able to stay away from a very small peloton, where Enzo Paleni and Valentin Madouas were still present approaching the summit. However, they were unable to react when Alex Baudin attacked, caught Guérin and then went alone in front a few moments later. “Valentin didn’t have great legs, which was a bit predictable after his efforts from yesterday,” said Benoît. “When Baudin went, he couldn’t go, and it was then difficult to get back on a downhill section and with the huge rain. In any case, someone was stronger than us today. Paul didn’t miss much to come over the climb with the peloton, but that wouldn’t have allowed us to fight for the win. The day’s results are very mixed.” Valentin Madouas and Enzo Paleni finished twenty-four seconds behind the winner, in a peloton of around thirty riders. The recent silver medallist at the Olympic Games is now in seventh place overall, thirty-three seconds behind the leader. “Baudin has taken out an option, but nothing is over until the line is crossed,” concluded Benoît. “There is still a very hard stage tomorrow, the hardest of this Tour du Limousin. We will take stock this evening and see what we can do. Valentin is still up there. If the race is tough tomorrow, anything is possible.”
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