Par
Baptiste Hue
Published on
June 27, 2024 at 12:33 p.m.
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The 34-year-old Cosquevillais Anthony Delaplace, rider from Arkéa-B&B Hôtels, was not selected by his training for the Tour de France which starts this Saturday June 29, 2024. Interview.
How do you react to your non-selection for the Tour de France?
Anthony Delaplace : “I was in the pre-selection of 11 riders but the team had to make choices. Of course, I’m disappointed because I wanted to be at the start and I had high hopes of being selected. But the team maintained its confidence in Arnaud Démare by selecting several riders to support him. And that seems logical because Arnaud is the big leader of the team, the one who is capable of winning World Tour events.”
We don’t feel so disappointed?
Anthony Delaplace : “When the team informed me of their decision on Monday June 17, I will not hide that it was very hard. For two days, I was depressed at home, things weren’t going well at all. But, I quickly put things into perspective. I’m not frustrated. I switched to something else. I re-mobilized myself by telling myself that I was going to try to compete in a big French championship. It was too easy to mentally let go of everything. »
The selection
Raul Garcia Pierna (ESP)
Daniel McLay (GBR)
Cristian Rodríguez (ESP)
Clément Champoussin (FRA)
Kevin Vauquelin (FRA)
Arnaud Démare (FRA)
Luca Mozzato (ITA)
Amaury Capiot (BEL)
“I hope it’s recovered”
Why do you think you were not selected?
Anthony Delaplace : “It’s not a question of level. It’s just a question of strategy. The team doesn’t put “intermediate” riders like me. They put the best climbers around Kevin (Vauquelin) and the best throwers around Arnaud (Démare). These are roles where there are better than me in the team.”
Was your status as road captain an asset?
Anthony Delaplace : ” It’s true. I know for example that Kévin (Vauquelin) is disappointed that I was not taken. Since the start of the season, I have worked a lot for him in the races and the feeling is really good between us. He would have liked me to be by his side for his first ride. He wrote to me the day before yesterday to tell me he was disappointed. It’s like that, you have to accept it…”
“Why not do the 10th next year?”
You had nevertheless planned on a 10th participation in the Tour…
Anthony Delaplace : “Yes, I said that doing a 10th Tour de France would be symbolic. But, beyond the 10th, it was doing the Tour itself that interested me. The Tour is incomparable. The level, the media, the public, there is no other race like it. Of course, it goes fast, there are complicated moments. But it is exceptional to have the chance to participate. I hope it is postponed. Why not do the 10th next year?”
What will be your program this summer?
Anthony Delaplace : “I’m cutting until Sunday. I will resume competition at the Tour de l’Ain (July 15-17). I will then do the Lisieux criterium (July 23), the GP Villafranca (July 25), the Polynormande (August 11), the Tour du Limousin (August 13-16) and the Bretagne Classic (August 25). I won’t go to the Vuelta, I rather wanted to have fun in more affordable races, races where I could perhaps play my card. »
Disappointed and perplexed supporters
In the small world of Cotentin cycling, the non-selection of Anthony Delaplace raises a wave of indignation, many showing compassion towards the Cosquevillais, some even crying injustice. “He really isn’t rewarded for his great teamwork. He is such a deserving boy, with great values. His experience could have been valuable for his team,” underlines Frédéric Lecrosnier, surprised and “very disappointed” to see the Breton team deprive itself of this runner dedicated to the collective and always loyal to its leaders. “It’s a lack of recognition. He gives his all in each race, he would have done the job. I don’t really understand why they prefer to put three teammates around Démare who doesn’t work! These are internal sauces that we don’t understand,” he says. “The worst part is that he appeared in great form at the French championship. Sportingly, he had his place in the squad,” says Amaël Moinard, former teammate of Anthony Delaplace. “When you plan to participate in the Tour and you are finally told that you are not going, it is very hard to live with. I’ve been in this situation before (in 2015). Compared to his past in the team, it’s hard to do that to him at his age. It’s the high level, it’s thankless…”
“The French championship, a great party”
Motivation remains intact?
Anthony Delaplace : “Ah yes, I remain super motivated for this second part of the season. The French championship really did my morale good. I was an actor, I was in shape. Even though I’m getting older, it shows me that I’m still capable of doing great things. And it should last another year…”
A final word on the French championship. We imagine that you had fun?
Anthony Delaplace : “I had an incredible moment, one of my best memories on a bike. Honestly, the crowd, the crazy atmosphere, it was worthy of a mountain stage of the Tour de France! To experience that at home, at the end of my career, I couldn’t have dreamed of anything better. It was a great celebration for cycling in Manche with, as a bonus, the victory of a Manche rider. Personally, I think I had the legs to get a better result (16e). There is a little frustration. But above all, I remember a lot of positives from this day. »
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