Four former winners (Matteo Trentin in 2015 and 2017, Soren Kragh Andersen in 2018, Arnaud Démare in 2021 and 2022, Riley Sheehan in 2023), the two French Olympic medalists this summer (Valentin Madouas and Christophe Laporte), world leaders in sprinting and classics… Very good names will be at the start of Paris-Tours, Sunday October 6, in Chartres.
But three stand out: the Belgians Jasper Philipsen and Arnaud de Lie, and the Dane Mads Pedersen. The first two won this week, the last discovers Paris-Tours with ambition.
Jasper Philipsen wants to make it like 2017
Jasper Philipsen arrives with great confidence after winning the Tour of Münster in Germany on Thursday. The ninth victory of the season for the sprinter from Alpecin-Deceuninck, winner of Milan-San Remo and three stages of the Tour de France in particular.
And why not a tenth in Tours, for its last race of 2024? “I am happy with my current form and my victory on Thursday and I will try to continue on Sunday. It’s a renowned sprinter’s classic”underlines Jasper Philipsen. Winner of Paris-Tours hopefuls in 2017, he wants “also win it one day among the professionals”.
His two participations, in 2021 and 2022, have so far not allowed him to do so, including a fall which forced him to retire in 2022. The 26-year-old Belgian therefore hopes to avoid bad luck this year, and will of course rely on his peak speed, even if he knows that on the vineyard paths, it will be necessary “be careful of dangerous groups” who will try to get out.
Arnaud de Lie has a curse to break
He too was not finished at Paris-Tours: in 2022, “there was a big, massive fall a little less than 60 kilometers from the finish, I had to give up on the spot. And last year, I suffered three or four punctures”recalls Arnaud de Lie (Lotto-Dstny). The young Belgian champion, 22 years old, arrives with revenge, with the desire to “to reach the finish line and especially in a group aiming for victory”.
He also arrives in good shape, after having raised his arms in Binche-Chimay-Binche on Tuesday. And difficult weather conditions don’t scare him, quite the contrary! “When it’s good fall weather with rain and wind, it can cause a lot of damage and a very tough race. We will perhaps find ourselves more in a situation comparable to Tro Bro Leon (Breton race with dirt roads that he won this year), man against man. This is something that could really suit me”he emphasizes.
With the rain forecast, this may be the year of Arnaud de Lie, very motivated by the idea of winning Paris-Tours, “a very good race (that he) particularly appreciate it.”
Mads Pedersen, driver complete
Finally, 2019 world champion Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek) will discover Paris-Tours. It is almost an anomaly that he has never done it, as the classics are the playground of the 28-year-old Dane, winner this season of Ghent-Wevelgem in particular.
His knowledge of this type of race will be his main asset on Sunday. “The vineyard paths are all bunched up at the end of the race, so there will be lots of fresh runners when we reach them. Like the spring classics, it’s important to run intelligently and take care of your equipment,” he indicates.
Mads Pedersen can also rely on his versatility: he is capable of winning both by attacking from afar and by sprinting, even against Philipsen and De Lie. “I think both options can suit me, he confirms. We will have to see how the race goes and decide on the strategy in due time. »
Sunday October 6, departure from Chartres at 11:55 a.m., arrival in Tours between 4:50 p.m. and 5:15 p.m. To follow live on lanr.fr from 2:45 p.m., on France 3 and Eurosport at 3 p.m.
