New IAM Cycling rider Jérôme Pineau was left frustrated after finishing 10th in the first stage of the Tour du Haut Var.

"There's nothing worse than being frustrated in our sport. And here I am because I had missed the point without being able to change anything. This morning I set out with the intention of winning and offer a first victory to my new team. Everything worked well and we stayed all day at the forefront of the pack. In the final circuit, the organizer, who changed the number of laps we had to complete, did not inform us of that change. I chose to lift the foot not to ride continuously and the passage on the line I heard the bell while we were gone for 2 turns. Obviously on such a technical circuit, it is not clear up the front line. I got there and, helped by Sébastien Reichenbach (12th) and Jonathan Fumeaux (15th), we found ourselves hampered by a BMC rider who started the sprint and was put into free road. Fortunately everything is still possible because the second stage looks more selective. We will put the book on the art. "

For his part, Patrick Schelling began to ride for Sylvain Chavanel and Jérôme Pineau throughout the day. 
 

"I had a mission to be as close as possible the two French riders and help them back into the pack. I felt comfortable in this work. And my legs felt good. Since I do not have a habit of being good in a final, I was a little behind in laps. But we had a good race and the presence of 3 riders in the top 15 attests to this.”