Norman Paul Lapeira became French cycling champion for the first time on Sunday by winning the road race held on his home soil in Saint-Martin-de-Landelles. Juliette Labous also won the first blue-white-red jersey of her career on Saturday in the Channel.
Weekend of first times in the Channel. Juliette Labous and Paul Lapeira were crowned champion and French cycling champion for the first time, Saturday June 22 and Sunday June 23, in Saint-Martin-de-Landelles.
At 24, the Norman cyclist from Décathlon-AG2R showed himself to be the strongest on the 240 km long route, and is ahead of Julien Bernard, who moved up one place on the podium after his bronze medal in 2023, and Thomas Gachignard.
Vincent Lavenu’s team completes a perfect French Championships, since Paul Lapeira’s coronation comes two days after Bruno Armirail’s title during the time trial, like a successful first half of the season where she is now at 26 victories.
Paul Lapeira laid the first stone of his success by leaving the peloton three laps from the end to enter the leading group in the company of Julien Bernard and Thomas Gachignard. Faster than his breakaway companions, he managed the end of the race perfectly to win with ease in the sprint.
“I dreamed of it, I’m five kilometers from home, these are the roads I’ve been training on since I was little, the race was perfect,” declared the young Normand, very moved after his victory.
With AFP
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