LIEGE (Belgium) – Romain Gregoire is not happy after his Liège-Bastogne-LiègeHe's a champion inside and always wants to win. La Doyenne is the opportunity to talk about this. young Frenchman who had a good first part of the season and who has huge ambitions.
As with many other riders, Liège marked a stop in the calendar for the athlete of the Groupama-FDJ. In fact, since yesterday many people have been looking towards the Grand Tours chapter, be it the imminent one Tour of Italy or Tour de FranceAnyone aiming for this can begin a recovery phase.
Champion's disappointment
Gregoire has one of the longest faces of the entire post-Liège era. The Frenchman was very keen on this race, probably the one best suited to his characteristics. After his two seventh places in the Flèche Wallonne and the Amstel, he seemed really motivated and on form. Even on the day of the team presentations, he was confident. He acted like a leader, even when dealing with the press. The same was true during the reconnaissance. We'd met him twice, and twice he was the one leading the team.
«The condition was also good, but I'm disappointed "I'm very disappointed," Gregoire bluntly attacked, "because the team worked hard to get us into position at the foot of La Redoute. We were in contention on the climbs with Guillaume (Martin, ed.), but I think the race wasn't selective enough to give us an advantage. I didn't find the opening in the sprint, so I'm very frustrated. I was in contention for a good placing, but... it's a shame I didn't manage it."
Yesterday, as well as at the Freccia, but also at the Amstel Gold Race, Gregoire never backed down. He jumps into the fray without hesitation. and you rarely see him pedal beyond a certain number of positions. He's among the champions.
Spring with ups and downs
Let's analyze Romain Gregoire's season so far. He started off well, even winning a race, the Faun-Ardèche Classic, excellent level race. At the Milan-Sanremo at times it is superlative. Remember the lunge of pogacar on the Cipressa with Van der Poel e Ganna? Well, he was the fourth man. Of course, he then dropped out, but we're talking about a battle between absolute titans, immense engines. And he tried fearlessly. And then his versatility in approaching racing is really appreciated.
Sure, he still lacks consistency, but apart from Pogacar, which young player has shown any? Even Remco had his "holes". Tirreno-Adriatico Gregoire wanted the overall ranking, but on the day in Frontagnano he lost his way in the final three kilometers. Clearly, there's work to be done. But this is the way forward: persevere. Especially since this is his team, his home.
And every time Romain speaks at the end of the race, the team always puts him in the middle: to thank him, to "apologize" if you like.
In the Ardennes Classics he dreamed of a podium and more realistically he wanted to achieve a top ten finish in all three events. The objective vanished yesterday on Quai des Ardennes, at 300 meters.
And now the Tour
We point out that he's still young and continuing to grow. He also seems more physically fit, definitely more muscular than before.
«Yes, yes… It's true about the growth process – he resumes while fiddling with the suitcases under the bus – but in the end it's the results that countYou have to be concrete, especially when the team works for you. Do I feel pressure? No, on the contrary... I like it, it doesn't cause me any problems." In short, he is ready to take responsibility.
Now, as we mentioned, Romain will take a little rest. "Then," continues the 2003-born rider, "I'll do a training camp at altitude in preparation for the Tour de France. I don't know yet if I'll do the Criterium of the Dauphiné or Tour de Suisse as a finishing touch."
«This year – he had said at a time when there was no suspicion – we are stronger. A talented rider like Martin has arrived and between me, him and Gaudu we could share the three Grand Tours. There was a bit of impatience, sometimes a bit of a lack of composure, I would put a little effort into everything when I felt good and I didn't really channel my efforts. This is the goal for 2025: to achieve results».
