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13.05.2014 @ 21:33 Posted by Emil Axelgaard
Last week Arnaud Demare proved that he is back in great condition after his classics campaign when he defended his victory in the Four Days of Dunkirk. The Frenchman has now set his sights on another potential stage race victory in the Tour de Picardie.
Fresh off his win at the Four Days of Dunkirk, Arnaud Démare is ready to kick it up a notch at the Tour de Picardie as he builds up towards his Tour de France debut in July.
Arnaud Démare, judging from your performance at the Four Days of Dunkirk, you are already firing on all cylinders…
I didn't expect to be going so fast so early, since I was racing to get some rhythm back and my season objective, the Tour de France, is still far away. My goal was to take a stage, but once I got the leader's jersey the entire team worked its socks off to defend it. With the weather exacting a heavy toll, all our riders had to dig very deep to bring home the bacon. Therefore, I'll spend a few days recovering to make sure I'm in good shape at the Tour de Picardie.
Are building confidence and oiling the machine ahead of the Tour your main objectives for this weekend?
Yes, the team will take part in the Tour de Picardie with the same backbone, especially Mickaël Delage, who has the same programme and sticks with me in all the sprints. My aim is to win a stage, which was also my approach to the Four Days of Dunkirk. And if it all falls into place again…
Apart from the advantages of racing here in your run-up to the Tour, you also have an emotional attachment to this race on your home turf…
I've always known and followed the Tour de Picardie. I remember once, when I was still in school, there was a stage which started from Beauvais on a school day, so my mother found an excuse for me so I could get out and come to the start. Memories like these colour my view of the race.
Yet your first participation as a rider, last year, was full of setbacks…
I was delayed by a fall at the end of stage 1, and then it was my turn to hit the deck during stage 3. It was an utter failure, but I'm back and all fired up to do much better this time round.
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