Franck Renimel: "Immediately into the big time »
The Het Nieuwsblad and the Grand Prix Samyn for women will be the first two competitions for the Arkéa Pro Cycling Team.
Pre-race
“I’m looking forward to racing again. We had a good winter preparation with the Arkéa Pro Cycling Team, including two training camps. The atmosphere within the group is excellent, and now we are looking forward to getting back into the rhythm of competition, and getting back into the swing of things at the Het Nieuwsblad, the Grand Prix Samyn. The first one has the UCI WorldTour Women label. I enjoy racing in Belgium, the cobbles, the mountains. The Samyn is an event that is often done on the placement. It’s hard, and usually there are small groups fighting for the win in a sprint, so it’s a race that can suit me.
“I am happy to be racing for the first time with the Arkéa Pro Cycling Team in the Het Nieuwsblad women’s race. Changing teams in the off-season has given me a new form of motivation. I think that our strength will be collective this year. Het Nieuwsblad is a UCI WorldTour Women’s event and my goal will be to help the team get a result. I think it will be a difficult race because of the course, the profile and the teams involved. But if we manage to place ourselves well and race together, we can hope to do something. Our team will be made up of riders with different profiles; rollers, sprinters and climbers. This can be a good combination for this type of race.
“Het Nieuwsblad is a UCI WorldTour Women’s race, so the level is bound to be very high. We have ambitions for this race, and the goal will be to accompany the best riders as far as possible, especially in Oudenaarde, with its cobbled hills. Everything will be decided there, and I hope that Marie-Morgane, who has gained experience, will be able to express herself on this kind of race. Maurène will discover these competitions, she is a rider who rubs well, and it is a question of placement. I can’t wait to see what she can do on this type of terrain. Concerning the Grand Prix Samyn, it will be a discovery for many of our riders. This event has always allowed us to do well in the past, and we will do everything we can to do so again this year.
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