Grand Prix de Plouay, Sébastien Hinault: «I would have preferred the victory.»

His grimace is much more intense that the hot sun of his native Brittany.  Sébastien Hinault won the respect of his fans, family and thousands of spectators on the very long circuit around Plouay.

At the end of the Grand Prix Ouest-France, won after a suspenseful final by Filippo Pozzato (Lampre-Merida), the IAM Cycling rider did mount the podium as the best rider from Brittany.

“I would have preferred the victory.  That’s what I went for, but the sprint at Plouay is not at all suited to me.  I was well placed in the front of the peloton.  And I found a good wheel with Sam Dumoulin, who ended up finishing 3^rd.  But I shifted to the left in the last 200 meters and I had to slow down a bit as a result.  In a World Tour sprint such as this, there is no recovering.  So I do not have a top place to rejoice about.”

IAM Cycling Directeur Sportif Eddy Seigneur recognized the situation, but was able to add some perspective and context to the disappointment of his 39 year old road captain.  “We succeeded in influencing the race in spite of the fact that we had Klemme, Hollenstein and Bandiera crashing in the penultimate lap, and Goddaert puncturing.  At the start of the last lap, Löfkvist mounted the barricades twice, but then Martin Elmiger almost joined Van Avermaet in the final.”

Elmiger confirmed he had a chance, while regretting it didn’t work out.  “I counter-attacked with Leukemans and I was about to catch Van Avermaet, but Leukemans was unable or unwilling to work.  It’s a shame because we were close to catching Van Avermaet.  I had good legs today, but the course in the end was not selective enough.  Your position in the peloton played a key role.” 

photos / Etienne Garnier velofotopro.com