La Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale is reaping the fruits of his labor at the foundation of transalpine cycling. So far, they have achieved 14 victories, not bad at all for a WorldTour team that doesn't have one of the "magnificent six" in its ranks., but which is continuously churning out valid riders, drawing above all from a pool that has matured within its ranks in the lower categories. Paul lapeira It is the perfect synthesis of the team's policy: inserted in its chain since 2018, this year it has already achieved 3 important victories and has also distinguished itself well in the classics.
At 23, Lapeira is no longer identifiable as a prospect, but as a fully-fledged rider, The team's flagship for one-day races and one of the new French riders to bet on to experience top-level cycling, waiting for someone capable of competing for a Grand Tour classification to emerge. And while his teammates compete in the Giro, he prepares for the upcoming home events, eyeing the Tour after making his debut last year (admittedly without much success) in the other two major races.
«I was born in Brittany, but I grew up in Normandy, with my parents who are from there and my grandfather who always rode his bike, and so following his example I started cycling at the age of 7. My father also loved cycling, so it was them both who motivated me."
This year, since the Faun Drome Classic You've shown great improvement, what do you think is the reason?
My first 2 years among the professionals allowed me to progress at the right pace. Participating in the Vuelta last year in particular made me take a real leap in quality. Three weeks of running helped me mature; I feel stronger and more confident.
You've always raced for AG2R. How important do you think it is for a rider's growth to always be in the same team when changing categories?
It's something that gives you stability and confidence. I know the environment, I know the staff, and there's constant growth, monitored and in full synergy with the staff. Obviously, when you change categories, the people you contact also change, but the structure is the same, it's really important to be able to stay in the same environment.
Your results at Amstel and also at Liège were surprising: were you surprised too?
I was happy but not surprised because The Amstel Gold Race (where the Frenchman finished 5th, ed.) is a race that really suits me. It's made up of many climbs, all very short, so I knew I was capable of a great result.I felt more confident in Liège, in a truly fast-paced edition. Perhaps an 11th-place finish doesn't seem like much, but in that context it has value, especially because now I know I can have my say even in such an important classic. It was important for me to feel good, at ease, to demonstrate that I had made the leap in quality and was ready for that environment.
Have you noticed more media attention towards you?
Yes, definitely, especially since I started winning. The local media have started to take an interest, and now they know me abroad too – our chat bears witness to that… – I'm especially happy to be a little more popular in my parents' region., I know that my results in the Tour of the Basque Country and even more so the following I had in the classics caused a stir in those parts.
What are your characteristics and which paths do you feel most comfortable with?
I'm really a fighter, someone who loves to attackWe could say that Benoît and I cosnefroy We really have the same profile, we complement each other well. The Amstel has the perfect course with short climbs lasting 2 to 3 minutes. And this can extend to races like Liège, where the effort stays around 5 minutes.
What is the victory that has given you the most satisfaction so far?
The stage at Tour of the Basque Country, because it was my first in a WorldTour race. There was also a double at French Cup, the victories of mid-March, two in the space of 24 hours, they gave me a lot of confidence and allowed me to do everything I've done in the last few weeks.
How important is it to have such a large group of French players in your team?
I don't think it matters that much to have a majority of riders from the same nation. We obviously remain a French team, but today cycling is becoming international and we still see that there are more and more foreigners in the teams.For development, it's a good thing. It's important to have an identity and for those who come from outside to learn our language, but I don't think it's fundamentally important to have many French people on the team.
You have raced and won often in Italy, what do you remember of your youth victories at the Lombardia, San VendemianoTour of Friuli?
Yes, I really love Italy, the culture, the cuisine. It's a country I really love, I'm always happy to come and run in Italy. There are fantastic races and you can really feel the passion for cycling there, so it's a country I really love. Winning the Piccolo Lombardia was very important for me because I'd had a tough summer beforehand, and it's always a race that makes you dream among the espoirs, and winning it was very emotional for me. So I have a wonderful memory.
What competitions await you now and what are your goals?
I will not be competing in May, I'll go to an altitude training camp in Sierra Nevada and then in June I'll do the Critérium du Dauphiné, the French championship and if all goes well I will be able to make my debut at the Tour de France, where the team's goal will be to help Felix in the classification Gall.
You're 23 years old. What does the Tour de France mean to a rider like you?
It's like the Giro d'Italia for Italians. It's the race we've dreamed of doing since we were kids, so I really want it. I'm eagerly awaiting the departure from Florence, even though I don't have the right characteristics for a long tour.I'm more of a one-day race guy, but taking part in the Tour de France is something big, especially when you have someone like Felix in the team who is highly motivated and you know he's capable of doing great things, so yes, the motivation is very high.
