Filed in ambush a few seconds from the Polish Filip Maciejuk, Kévin Vauquelin had negotiated his day on Monday. But with 180 kilometers on Tuesday, the usual member of the VC Rouen 76 had not said his last word. But for him and the Blues, the words were quickly limited by the ambitions of the opponents (see ranking). Whatever, Hope 2 has ideas and is already thinking about the future. Kévin Vauquelin looks back on his Gold Star with DirectVelo, and evokes his desires for height, he who tends to develop his climbing skills before joining Arkéa-Samsic.
DirectVelo: This Tuesday again, overturning the yellow jersey was a mission impossible …
Kévin Vauquelin: There it was complicated, yes. It rolled very fast at first, then it landed in the middle. The problem is that the circuit was quite demanding at the beginning. But for 180 kilometers, it’s way too far. We couldn’t hope to do anything. With the Italians, we sometimes tried to attack, to stir from time to time, but it didn’t come out. Neither the Dutch nor the Poles wanted to let go. So we tried quickly but it was a waste of time. It was better to keep your strength for the train at the end for Paul (Penhoët).
Did you try anyway?
I followed attacks, but I saw that it did not come out. I told myself that I was not going to use unnecessary forces to show the jersey, it is useless. With a small opening in the end, I could have given everything and we would have advised. But there I preferred to organize myself for the guys. Paul, if he won the sprint, he allowed the bonuses to be taken. And the fewer bonuses there were for the others, the more chances we had of being placed in the general standings. To overturn the yellow jersey, it was complicated. With a peloton like that, an finish like that, it’s impossible, the road is too long.
“THIS IS NOT FAIR-PLAY, I DON’T LIKE IT”
Filip Maciejuk had some setbacks between a crash, a change of bike, and was badly placed in the final. Have you considered eliminating it?
I saw him fall, but we are fair. Yesterday (Monday), he was also caught in a fall. We noticed it, we said it to each other. But I’m not going to take a jersey on that, it’s ugly. Unless it covers or there is a real big break. But I didn’t want to put guys to ride, nor to ride myself. It’s not fair play, I don’t like it.
So, what do you think of this second place?
Second place reassures me after a month of hiatus. On the clock, I think I could win, but it’s still a positive point. It feels good for the future, whether with the Blues or with the pros. I was there, in the last kilometers, in the heat… I am very happy with my Gold Star, I was able to show myself and prove that I deserved my places.
“VERY WANT TO DEVELOP IN THE MOUNTAINS”
What are you waiting for now?
The Tour de Savoie Mont-Blanc and the big events with the mountains, to continue my preparation for the Tour de l’Avenir and the Worlds. To see what happens in the passes. I have sharpened myself a little, I want to see if it has worked a little and if all my work at the beginning of July to breathe has allowed me to improve. There it was a recovery race, I was not bleeding either with what can be described as almost first heat.
You seem to give more and more importance to the mountains …
I really want to develop in the mountains. Just in training, I love the passes, and then these are long and sustained efforts. I already like it in chrono. I want to illustrate myself in the mountains, I know that I am capable of climbing well. Of course there is the weight, I’m going to have to lose some. I don’t do too much weight training anymore as I don’t do a lot of track at the moment. It allows me to lose some weight. Muscle certainly, but above all the unnecessary weight I have carried since the start of the season.
“BECOMING A GENERAL RUNNER WOULD BE BEAUTIFUL”
Should we conclude that you are going to put the track aside to have a real climber template?
Considering my deadlines to come, and the fact that there is no track which emerges… I will put the odds on my side on the road. I’m going pro next year. We’ll see how it goes. But I have a lot of desire at this level. It would be nice to become a general runner.
Do you train regularly on this ground?
When I can, I go on a mountain course. I did a week and a half of training in the mountains between Gap and Embrun, where the weather was fine in addition, it did me a lot of good. If only at the level of the pedal stroke, it also serves me for the stopwatch. When I do a lot of mountain climbing, that’s also great for that. There we will again go on a mountain training course with Pierre-Yves (Chatelon). So the more I do, the better I am, for sure (smile).
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