Nacer Bouhanni proved that he more than a pure sprinter when he made all the key selections in stage 8 of the Vuelta a Espana before launching a powerful sprint to win the stage. Being in great condition, the Frenchman may now target the World Championships.

Nacer Bouhanni again showed that he is one of the fastest riders in the world when he did a very long sprint into a headwind to win stage 8 of the Tour de France. The win made up for the disappointment after stage 5 where he had come up short against John Degenkolb.

That defeat had made him approach today's stage with a different tactic.

"I came to the Vuelta for winning at least one stage," he said. "Tonight, I’ve bagged two. I was very disappointed to come second in the last sprint because I had the legs for winning. I got boxed in. I was determined to win today. I remained very focused in the finale. I knew there was a headwind to finish but I launched my sprint from far out, at about 300 metres, and I resisted.

"The last fifty kilometers have been long and difficult. Geoffrey Soupe was with me in the finale. We lost each other in the sprint. It’s true that I wanted to launch the sprint before Degenkolb. Usually when I start at 200 metres, it’s difficult to pass me but today, it was at 300 metres. I didn’t figure out very well where the line was. I seized an opportunity to go but in a standard sprint, I would have waited for 100 metres more.

"Shall I win the next sprint, I’ll make it [the points jersey]  a goal. I should be around ten points down on Degenkolb (13). If I precede him at Logroño, it’ll become possible to beat him in the points classification too."

The Worlds may now become a goal for Bouhanni.

"I spoke with the selector Bernard Bourreau after the Eneco Tour, we spoke about the Worlds, he described the circuit and I know that in a great day, the course suits me. I’m well, even though I got a heatstroke two days ago. I’ve been on the edge of pulling out. Yesterday I felt better.

"I hope I’ll improve my condition again during the remaining stages of the Vuelta. I have no guarantee to be selected for the Worlds but Bourreau is supposed to come to the Vuelta and I believe I’ll meet him.

"It would be pretentious to say that I am the best sprinter in the world. I’m among the best but I won’t come up with a ranking."