INTERVEW | Axel Laurance expects “another really stressful day” as wet weather hits Tour de France
Cycling
Axel Laurance, the 24-year-old French rider for INEOS
Grenadiers, braced for another chaotic day at the Tour de France as rain and
narrow roads set the tone for Stage 2. Speaking to CyclingUpToDate ahead of the stage in Lauwin-Planque, Laurance
reflected on a bruising opener and anticipated more of the same, or worse, with
wet roads and a punchy finale in store.
“It was really stressful, a lot of speed,” Laurance said.
“Everybody wants to be in a good position… you are close to each other riding
60 km an hour. So this is pretty stressful… and yeah, we knew it could happen.”
The young Frenchman pointed to the dense road furniture, bollards,
medians, and signs, as another compounding factor.
“Like all the other teams, you want to be there, but there
is no space for everybody… this is always tense and also with all the road
furniture of cornering.”
Stage 2 features a 209-kilometer route across tight northern
French roads, now slick with rain. The forecast and profile suggest a
combative, attritional day in the bunch.
“I think with the rain, the wet roads… also the road
furniture, they are pretty important in France now. And yeah, also the risk of
wind in the final, I think again a really stressful day,” Laurance said.
With a technical finish and potential splits late on, the
question remains whether a small group or solo rider will make the difference.
“For sure not everybody will be there at the finish because
also the roads are pretty narrow,” he said. “So it's not going to be easy and
for sure some people will try something.”
Asked about personal ambitions, Laurance said INEOS had a
flexible approach for the finale.
“Yeah, I think we have a good duo,” he said. “It's always
good to have a few cards to play in the final… we just try our best and one of
us will have to do the best result.”
Read also
Fin MajorCycling Journalist
Fin Major is a UK-based writer at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2024. He is the site’s main writer for FAQs and evergreen explainers and has written around 2,000 pieces for the platform. Alongside this work, he focuses on in-depth analysis and covers the biggest races on the calendar, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, providing clear context around performance trends, tactics, and key storylines.
In his reporting, Fin uses reputable data sources such as ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. Outside of writing, Fin is an active cyclist, which supports his practical understanding of the sport and its demands.
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