Romain Grégoire went all in

# Romain Grégoire Goes for Glory in Giro del Veneto

As the cycling season nears its conclusion, Romain Grégoire refuses to hold back on his ambitions. On Wednesday, in the Giro del Veneto, the promising young French cyclist put everything on the line during the final stretch towards Verona. On the last climb, Grégoire was the sole rider to stick with Isaac del Toro’s pace for a few hundred meters. Ultimately, Del Toro pulled away, forcing Grégoire to settle for seventh place in a small chasing group. He will wrap up his season this Sunday at the Veneto Classic.

Returning to the “Giro del Veneto” a year after securing third place, Grégoire faced a new route with challenges of its own. This year, cyclists tackled the longer but less steep Salita delle Toriccelle, which at four kilometers long, had to be crossed five times in the final 80 kilometers. The early breakaway led for some time but was caught with approximately thirty kilometers remaining, just before the penultimate climb.

This pivotal moment led to real selection among the peloton, and Grégoire, well-positioned by his teammates, was quick to react to various attacks, including one from Pavel Sivakov. After reaching the summit, a group of about forty riders entered the final lap just minutes later. Grégoire was able to rely on teammate Lorenzo Germani, who helped maintain position until the early stages of the last climb. “The day was very fast, and there was great teamwork all day,” said Stéphane Goubert, Groupama-FDJ’s team director. “In the final, the goal was of course to follow Del Toro. We knew he was the favorite, but we hoped it would be possible to keep up with him on these gradients.”

Goubert’s hopes hinged on Grégoire’s ability to keep pace. Nearly three kilometers from the summit and eleven kilometers to go, Del Toro launched a decisive attack, with Grégoire managing to catch his wheel momentarily. “The day unfolded as we expected,” Grégoire stated. “We did what we could with our strengths, and the team did a great job, always putting me in the right position. Then it was just about the legs. I tried to follow Del Toro, at the risk of blowing apart, but it wasn’t enough.”

As Grégoire battled to maintain contact, he soon found himself isolated, trailing Del Toro by ten seconds. “For a moment, I still believed in it,” Goubert said, noting that Grégoire initially limited the gap. Unfortunately, Del Toro surged ahead, and Grégoire was caught by five other riders as they approached the summit, resulting in a chasing group of twenty contenders forming on the descent.

“We could have also raced in a conservative way, played with the risks of the sprint, but we preferred to try to be in front and maybe follow Del Toro, or at least go for second place,” added Goubert. “We tried, but it didn’t work.”

At the finish line, Del Toro claimed victory, with Sivakov taking second after a late push. Grégoire finished fifth in the sprint, placing him seventh in the overall standings. “He might have finished 4th or 5th if he had raced conservatively, but we had to give it a try given the hard work the guys put in,” noted Goubert. “We chose that option, and I approve it 100%. The team’s spirit was really good; everyone did a great job and communicated a lot, which is really important.”

Reflecting on his performance, Grégoire acknowledged, “I have to be content with a top-10, which isn’t obviously what we came for, but UAE is so strong this year that it’s difficult to do something else. We’ll have one last chance this Sunday.”