A mixed start for “La Conti”
# Groupama-FDJ’s “La Conti” Seeks Redemption After Mixed Start at Tour Alsace
The Tour Alsace has kicked off with a blend of performances for Groupama-FDJ’s “La Conti,” leaving the French development squad eager for a strong finish as the weekend approaches. Following three diverse stages, the team secured a tenth place in the opening half-team prologue, a seventh in Thursday’s bunch sprint, and a sixteenth place in the challenging ascent to La Planche des Belles Filles, primarily through the efforts of newcomers Blake Agnoletto and Maxime Decomble.
The Tour Alsace commenced with a 4,200-meter prologue around Sausheim, featuring teams divided into trios. The Arkéa-B&B Hotels Continentale trio claimed victory, while “La Conti” finished eighth seconds slower in tenth place. As Jerome Gannat noted, “It was a bit of a particular prologue because the conditions were a bit wet… We pretty much finished where we should have, even if we could have hoped for a bit better.”
On Thursday, the peloton took off from Europa-Park for 152 flat kilometers toward Sélestat, culminating in a crucial sprint finish. Despite the excitement, the race’s dynamics led to Agnoletto’s seventh-place finish, with victory claimed by Mathias Guillemette. Gannat expressed, “We were hoping for a little better… We need to take new automatisms, but I think Blake will be able to gather people around him.” The Australian rider set the stage for the next day by once again pushing to the front in the third stage, leading up to La Planche des Belles Filles.
Blake’s valiant efforts put him in the spotlight, as he spearheaded a breakaway early on, but a significant crash later neutralized the race. Despite his best attempts, he was caught by the peloton prior to the final ascents. Both Decomble and Rémi Daumas attempted to maintain their positions in the climb but struggled to keep pace with the leaders. Gannat remarked, “On a climb like this, it comes down to legs… We were hoping for a little better.” Decomble finished sixteenth, trailing the winner by 43 seconds, while Daumas came in at 22nd.
With the first three stages behind them, “La Conti” is gearing up for a pivotal weekend. As Gannat explained, “Tomorrow, the start of the race won’t be easy, but we should still see a sprint at the finish, where the last 500 metres will be at 5%. That might suit us.” The squad will face a challenging mountain stage on Sunday, marked by significant elevation and a climactic finish. Gannat remains optimistic: “When we look at the overall standings, we’re not too far off yet. There will still be a lot of action, and we’ll also need to make some moves.” The coming days will be essential for Groupama-FDJ as they aim for their first top results of the competition.
