After a very fast and aggressive race, Samuel Dumoulin (Ag2r) made it to wins in two days when he added the victory in the Boucles de l’Aulne to the win he took at the GP de Plumelec yesterday. After his Ag2r team had controlled the final 8km lap, he beat Arthur Vichot (FDJ) and Clement Venturini (Cofidis) in the uphill sprint and this allowed him to move in the lead in the Coupe de France standings.

We have gathered a few reactions.

Samuel Dumoulin: I have my second youth in my final pro season

"What I have done here was very unlikely,” Samuel Dumoulin said. “For two and a half months, I was sick in was in a hole and this weekend I won two races and I am in the lead of the Coupe de France. I experience a second youth. This morning I had a little sore legs and difficulty getting into the race. And then it got better. 

”The goal was not necessarily going for the sprint. Today, everyone had the heart to work. We were present in the breakaway and I stayed in the second curtain. In the last two laps, we took the race in hand. Cyril Gautier still had the energy to launch me ideally with 120 meters to go. It's really unbelievable. Now I fo to the Critérium du Dauphiné (June  5-12) with three stages that suit me, the pleasure of riding at home and a job to help the leaders.”

"I am not able to win great classics in my career, but it is a satisfaction to leave a mark somewhere in the history of cycling,” he told L’Equipe. “Although the shape is really good, I did not think I was able to win on two consecutive days and on a course that did not suit me well. 

“After a bad feeling early in the race because we had a bit of a celebration yesterday I started to believe in it late in the race. But when you feel confident, things are often easier. I hope no one will do the double next so we're still talking about my achievement. 

“I have the Coupe de France in my head and I know that the battle will continue util the end. But I feel ready for the challenge for my last season in the peloton. I know I'm in great shape now but it's my racing experience that still makes me win.”

"It's incredible,” he told Directvelo. “Winning in Plumelec is what I can do, I had already done it before, but do it twice was unexpected. I did get maximum points this weekend for the Coupe de France PMU. I have an interesting advantage now. It's perfect.

“The team was exceptional. There was cohesion, a collective force .We were aggressive. For a month and a half, I have told my teammates at every briefing that we must be sharks and not dolphins. 
 

”I had this weekend in mind. I prepared myself. It's easier with these teammates. 

I was not terrible today but I had sore legs. There has not been much of change compared to yesterday so almost everyone had the same feelings. I knew that Arthur Vichot and Clément Venturini were going to be there in the sprint. We rode fast. Without underestimating anyone, it was impossible to beat us. I will now participate in the Critérium du Dauphiné and the Championships of France. "

Sports director Nicolas Guillé said:
 
"The team did the race in a good way. We were involved in the escapes which was part of our tactic. The sprint was only the second option. In the last two laps, the team was on the front and in the final 100 meters, Sam finished the job. There is a great atmosphere in the group and this has contributed to the success of Sam this weekend. Without this cohesion and team spirit, there can be no success.”

In-form Arthur Vichot with two podium spots in big weekend in France

"We wanted to make an aggressive race, and that's what we managed to do,” Arthur Vichot told Directvelo. “We were in all the right moves. Unfortunately, we were trapped on the final circuit. Those who felt best set the pace. It is true that it started well for the team. We have no right to miss a anything on this type of circuit. If you have to chase, you can destroy yourself. But we were able to restore the situation. AG2R La Mondiale rode for the final two laps. I was well placed because we knew that the race would end in a sprint. There was a chance to win but I paid for my earlier efforts. I was present in every break on the climb of the big circuit and necessarily you have to pay for that. Samuel (Dumoulin) had staked everything on the sprint. 
 

”It's frustrating not to win, especially as the team has not won race for almost a month. But we have to be patient. You cannot win every weekend. I do not feel at the top. I lack the strength and freshness, as I have worked hard lately. The form can only improve. 
 

“I was 3rd and 2nd this weekend. All lights are green before the Dauphiné and the French Championship which is a big goal this year.”
 

French cyclo-cross rider confirms his huge road potential

"I gave everything,” Clement Venturini told Directvelo. “This was decided by the legs. I was ideally positioned behind Arthur Vichot. Cyril Gautier led Samuel (Dumoulin) out. Unfortunately since January, victory had eluded me. There was the failure at the French cyclo-cross championships. Since then I have been there every time but I cannot win! The sensations are good but I fail to win. Today I moved to the left but Cyril Gautier swung off in that side of the road.
 

“I hope that the win will soon arrive. From Wednesday I will do the Tour of Luxembourg and then the Ster ZLM Tour, Halle-Ingooigem, the French Championships and finally the Tour of Austria. Then I'll take a break before preparation for the cyclo-cross season starts.”