Aurelien Paret-Peintre is one of the most loved and awaited French characters of this Tour de FranceWe met him in the House Van Rysel of Lille. In the first stages, every time the teams went on stage before the stages, him and his brother valentine, they received a loud, intense applause… much higher than average.
The first stages were, and are, tense. Especially for Aurelien's team, who were starting "from home," in a way. Decathlon-Ag2R is equipped with bike Van Rysel and Van Rysel is from Lille, home of the Grand Depart. Coincidentally, in Flemish “Van Rysel” is the translation of Lille.
Not just the Yates
"It's always great to be at the start of the Tour. The excitement at some starts abroad is enormous," Aurelien said, "but here in France it's different. Racing with my brother? It is certainly a special and privileged opportunity that comes to very few riders. We often talk, discuss, even text each other on the phone in the evenings, like what happened in the Dauphiné. I'm happy to be doing this Tour with him, even if we're no longer on the same team. I hope, however, that we'll both make it to Paris."
Aurelien added that they also talk about tactics and discuss the race. I wonder if the Yates brothers do the same: they are real rivals, since Adam supports Pogacar's cause and Simon supports Vingegaard's.
Mountain objective
But if the other two are totally devoted to the cause of their leader, and we believe this will also be the case for their brother Valentin, the situation is a little different for Aurelien. He could be called to a dual role: attacker, but also support for Felix Gall, Last year, he finished the Grande Boucle in 14th place, winning a stage. And this year, he's aiming for a top ten finish overall.
«I – continues Aurelien – I think that in the end there will be 4-5 stages where the breakaway will arrive, And I'm optimistic, given the trend of recent years. We have to be good at getting there. This is the first goal, for me and for the team.
"Not even Gall can fight for the top three overall, at least this year: we have to be realistic. With those riders, it's completely impossible. That's why I say: let's focus on stage victories, and mountain victories in particular. You won't see much of us in these nervous first few days. For me—and remember, Aurelien Paret-Peintre is a climber—it will be difficult in the first stages, both mentally and physically.
"I'm happy with my form and my preparation. Everything's been going well so far. The Dauphinée was good for me; it was very tough, but it helped me progress. We trained well in Sierra Nevada, even though the temperatures were quite high there too, around 36-37°C… We've already gotten used to the heat we'll encounter! But overall, we've focused on many aspects since 2023. Since last year, many things have changed regarding performance: materials, nutrition, attention to detail..."
From the Giro to the Tour
Speaking to an Italian journalist, somehow the speech emerges Tour of Italy. And Aurelien admits he has a good feeling with our country and our race.
"The one," he says, "that gave me fame. The atmosphere is different, the two races are completely different. I have a good attachment to the Giro, too before my victory in the great Giro. I like the Italian racing environment. But For us French, the Tour is like the Holy Grail, it's above the Giro in terms of fame. It would truly be a dream to leave a mark here too. I'm happy to have come to the Tour; I've only done two in my life so far. And I'm happy because I see I'm with the greats. I'm behind, but I'm not too far behind them."
Finally, a small note. The Savoyard rider had said he would struggle in the first ten stages. That's partly true. But also worth noting are his seventh place in Boulogne-sur-Mer and twelfth in Rouen: very tough stages, where a strong selection was evident. "It means I'm feeling good," Aurelien declared.
