Better late than never: winner of a wet and muddy Paris-Tours, Christophe Laporte waited for his last race of the year to open his victory account in 2024 and end in style a season full of doubts.
In very autumnal conditions, after an event which spat out competitors transformed into earth statues, the rider from the Dutch team Visma-Lease a bike won one of the oldest classics in the world by beating his companion in the sprint. escape, the Czech Mathias Vacek. The two men, who had started against 33 kilometers from the finish behind notably the Dane Mads Pedersen, the latter having attempted a Tadej Pogacar-style raid, kept 21 seconds ahead of the pack of pursuers, regulated by the Belgian Jasper Philipsen. “It’s special because I didn’t really believe in it anymore. It was a pretty complicated year, I missed all the classics. Fortunately, I had this Olympic medal which saved my season a little and, I can say now, this victory at Paris-Tours too”was going to comment on the 31-year-old Varois.
“I couldn’t wait for the season to end. I did well to persevere, it’s really a great achievement that I add to my list of achievements…”
Winner of a stage of the Tour de France in 2022, the former Cofidis rider brought down the house last year, winning Ghent-Wevelgem and Across Flanders (from Roeselare to Waregem), gleaning two bouquets on the roads of Critérium du Dauphiné and winning the title of European champion, his last success before Sunday.
But 2024 turned into a long way of the cross, between perineum surgery and a fall at the Giro d’Italia, illuminated only by his bronze medal at the Paris Olympics. “There were moments of doubt. After the European Championships (in September)I realized that it had been a year since I had won and that has not happened to me often in my career. The legs were there but, for motivation, it was more difficult. We always wonder if we will succeed in winning. I actually couldn’t wait for the season to end. I did well to persevere, it’s really a great achievement that I’m adding to my list of achievements. »
Even if it is no longer part of the World Tour, the first division of cycling, Paris-Tours, of which it was already the 118e edition, coveted residence and the plateau was still prestigious to attack the eight hills and ten particularly degraded vineyard paths. “I like it when it’s chaotic like thatadmitted Laporte, tough and very comfortable technically. At first, we’re a little grumpy but when we get a little excited, the instinct comes back and we want to race. »