Quentin Jauregui (Ag2r) took a huge breakthrough victory when he emerged as the strongest in a hard, wet edition of the French one-day race Grand Prix de ls Somme. The Frenchman made it into an 8-rider group inside the final 20km and later attacked with Anthony Delaplace (Bretagne) and Alo Jakin (Auber 93) whom he beat in a 3-rider sprint.

With lots of great performances, Quentin Jauregui has long been regarded as a huge cyclo-cross talent but the 21-year-old Frenchman has also shown promises on the road. In 2012 he won the big junior race GP General Patton and his strong performances gave him the chance to ride as a stagiaire with the Argos-Shimano team in 2013.

It was still too early for Jauregui to move into the pro ranks and so he spent a good year in the Roubaix team in 2014 when he won a stage in the Rhone-Alpes Isere Tour and finished third in La Poly Normande where he was up against the pros. Ag2r quickly recognized the talent and so they offered him a two-year pro contract for the 2015 and 2016 seasons.

Jauregui was set back by injury in the first part of the season and so he had a very bad start to his professional career. In fact he abandoned his first five races and clearly suffered on the Belgian cobbles.

However, the hard racing at the WorldTour level paid off and in the Circuit Cycliste Sarthe he finally started to show his talent. In stage 2, he came agonizingly close to a big win when he finished second behind Anthony Roux in a 3-rider sprint.

Today he again found himself in a similar situation and this time he made no mistake. In the Grand Prix de la Somme, he arrived at the finish with Anthony Delaplace and Alo Jakin and the youngster beat them in the final dash to the line to take a huge breakthrough victory.

"We had Alexis Gougeard in the break," he told Directvelo. "It allowed the team to chase which was important because there was a lot of wind. I knew there was going to be echelons at some point. There was an attempt 60 kilometers from the finish, but it had no consequence. 

"Then there was a crash around 20 kilometers from the finish. I was in the third peloton. It was Pierre Latour who allowed me to get back. He did a great job. Then we were about twenty in the peloton. I knew it was too much. There was a climb at 20 kilometers from the finish. I attacked. I got clear and six riders joined me.

"With 5km to go, Anthony Delaplace and Alo Jakin attacked. I joined them. I knew I was the fastest of the three in the sprint. We got along well until the red flame. I'm super happy to win. I had a lot of health problems early this season. I could do a great week of training. I am delighted that the work pays off.

"At the briefing, [sports director] Nicolas Guillé told me that I was protected and that I did not have to attack. I rode well all week and I felt I had the right legs. This is a fairly hilly course. Alexis Gougeard went in the break in the morning and that helped us. A big crash blew the peloton and I found myself in the fourth group. Blel Kadri and Pierre-Roger Latour did a lot to bring me back.

"At 20 km, I attacked. We ended up with seven but Bryan Coquard was faster than me. I attacked again and finally we were three. The entire team did a great job.

"I'm super happy. This is my first win in the pro ranks. The team trusted me and I try to do even better.

"I'm pretty strong in my head. I was a bit behind [due to knee problems] but I did not doubt. What bothered me was the team because we had many injured and they needed me. However, the crash at the GP Denain was a small blow to the morale. I quickly picked up and I did well. 

"I am in great form and hope to do the Four Days of Dunkirk. This year I targeted two victories. I will work to get one more."

"I wanted to know where I was with the sensations," Gougeard told Directvelo. "I just returned from a break. I am somewhat reassured today thanks to this escape, but I knew it would be hard. It will be so again in the next races. I missed raing kilometers today, but I am satisfied with the sensations. I had power.

"I'll approach the next goals properly. And I will come back into shape. Next week I will do the 4 days of Dunkirk. I'm really happy for Quentin (Jauregui). He has turned things around a bit since the beginning of the season. I'm happy with the day."