Paris-Roubaix, Amandine Fouquenet: "Shivers on the velodrome
Team Arkéa Pro Cycling Team rode a clean race collectively with four riders still in the main pack with 30km to go.
Crédit photo : Olivia Nieto
On the line
“I was able to avoid some crashes. I even managed to get back up on some occasions, but these efforts at some point cost me. It was difficult, but I managed to hurt myself in order to stay with my group. I am happy to have reached the finish. I really hurt myself, I gave everything I could. Before the first cobbled sector, it was rubbing on all sides. I tried hard to be at the front before this important passage. When you arrive at the velodrome, you get a lot of shivers. Likewise, there were a lot of people for us on the side of the road before the Tour de France Women, it’s really a great experience”.
On the line
“It wasn’t my best day on the bike, honestly. But Paris-Roubaix is such a special one-day race, I thought anything could happen. I died in Mons-en-Pevèle, that’s twice in two editions of Paris-Roubaix that it happened to me, it’s a bit annoying, but it’s the characteristic of this classic. I also feel that the fervour around women’s cycling is increasing both on the roadside and here in the velodrome. This enthusiasm on the part of the public is bound to support us. “
The debrief
“We have to underline the valour, the audacity of the girls. We had four representatives in the first peloton with about 30 km to go, but bad luck struck again. Lucie died. We were not able to help her out in good conditions. When the SDWorks starts, it’s all about pedalling, the strongest group pulls away. But what the girls have learned on this second Paris-Roubaix in history will allow them to come back even stronger in 2023 on this race”.