Training Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale organized its official presentation for the 2025 season this Monday in Lille. During this full-scale meeting at the Decathlon Arena, with all the managers, riders and staff, the new jersey and the new bike Van Rysel were revealed, as was the entire squad for 2025. Among them, Cyclism’Actu was able to speak with Paul Lapeira ! The 2024 French road champion hopes to shine in 2025. The 24-year-old Frenchman wants to aim for the Ardennes classics in the future, but not only that, as he explains to our microphone: “I dream of the Amstel Gold Race, I dream of Liège-Bastogne-Liège… I dream of the Grand Prix de Québec, the Bretagne Classic, it’s all these puncher races with short bumps that suit me well. “
Video – Paul Lapeira at the microphone of Cyclism'Actu before 2025!
“To make teams disappear is to make staff disappear…”
The winner of The Polynormande and a step of Tour of the Basque Country this year was asked at our microphone about the concern of some regarding the economy of French Cycling, in comparison with the Belgian and Italian continents, with regard to globalization. “Of course we are lucky to have really strong partners with Decathlon and AG2R, which has been there for many years, like Decathlon, which came back a year ago. But we are really lucky, and at the same time, it is the work of our management, but we are really good with all these partners and with whom we have a close relationship. So, we are happy with all that, but it is certain that. the time, as a runner, today, me I care about my job, about what I have to do and that's it, I remain a rider who cannot greatly influence what happens in the world of cycling.
But at the same time, it is certain that when we see the world of cycling which is changing with certain teams which have quite excessive budgets, and in some way, it is good because it generates flows of money in our environment, but other teams, often historic, which have always operated with sponsors which are not States and which, for some, sometimes have a little difficulty making ends meet, it is certain that it 'is unfortunate and we don't want to see any team disappear, because making a team disappear means making staff disappear, potentially making riders disappear. And we hope that everyone can benefit from it and that we continue to be there together. So, are there any regulations to be found at this level? I don't know, it's not my job, but maybe there are things to do.”
“To be 100% honest, I don’t have my program yet”
The Norman Paul Lapeira was also asked about the next Tour de Francehe who experienced his first Large Loop This year. “I experienced my first Tour de France this year through the front door with the jersey [de champion de France]. To be 100% honest, I don't have my schedule yet, I have no idea if I'll do the tour or not. But there you have it, it’s the most beautiful race in the world. We all want to participate, especially when it starts from Lille, the headquarters of one of our two co-sponsors. So obviously, we are motivated for that. Yes, for sure. It’s an event so disproportionate in terms of its sporting level, the media and public fervor. So no, it’s a timeless event.”he concluded at our microphone.
