First opportunity for the sprinters this Monday, and first chaotic final race in the streets of Turin, on the occasion of the 3rd stage of the Tour de Francethe last one entirely contested on Italian soil. A fall 2 kilometers from the line completely disorganized the trains and the peloton, and it was the Eritrean Biniam Girmay (Intermarché-Wanty) which emerged victorious. For their part, the French were less at the party than during the opening weekend, the best of them, Bryan Coquard (Cofidis), ranking 10th. A result that was far from satisfying him after the finish, especially since it was the sprinter of Saint-Nazaire, which caused the fall by dropping… its own pilot fish Alexis Renard.
Bryan Coquard frustrated by his 10th place on the 3rd stage
“Obviously there is frustration, I’m not here to finish 10th”
“There’s has a little disappointment, it’s nothad a great sprint for us. Alexis Renard fell, and I was the one who made him fall. He derailed, and when I tried to take Mads Pedersen’s wheel, I swiped his front wheel. Making someone fall is already not pleasant, so when it’s your pilot fish, it’s even less funny… He told me he’s fine, that’s the main thing. After the sprint was a bit chaotic, I did the best I could. I was in Perdersen’s wheel, I think (Phil) Bauhaus came into contact a bit, and I had to stop pedaling in the last 50 meters. But I couldn’t have won anyway. The Tour is on“, he tried to be positive before justifying his disappointment.
“Obviously there is frustration, I am a competitor. I am not here to get the best result, but to win. Tenth is not bad, but incredible, I am not here for that. Let’s say that without Alexis’ fall, the day would not have been so bad, but it pisses me off to have mowed him down… We will remobilize, tomorrow (Tuesday) it’s mountains. Guillaume (Martin) is in excellent shape. Other sprints will come after, with more fatigue, it will be better for me. But even today, with the legs I had, I could have done better… But that’s how it is“, he concluded Bryan Coquard.
