"It’s a great first week, really tailored to the explosive riders" - Victor Lafay dreams of yellow at the 2025 Tour de France
Cycling
Victor Lafay was a massive revelation of the opening weekend of 2023 Tour de France in Pays Basque, climbing as the best among mortals in Bilbao and the very next taking a stage victory in a stage that reminded San Sebastian.
Thus, Lafay's move to Decathlon AG2R for 2024 was highly anticipated, but knee problems stopped him for the first half of the season. Lafay recovered well and still managed to end his season in a good way with fourth overall in Guangxi. "It's really great to end your season in good shape," he looks back on the past months with DirectVelo.
Read also
"The key now is to keep training well during the winter months. I hope I stay healthy and then the rest will follow. I no longer have any problems with my knee. In the Vuelta a España I managed to conquer 60,000 vertical meters without pain. In other words, it should be fine for next year."
Speaking of next year, Lafay makes no secret of his ambitions for 2025. "I have a very big wish for next year. There are many races where I want to shine and where I haven’t had the chance to do it yet. But I really dream of wearing the yellow jersey in the Tour de France. I hope to experience that one day. I know it’s a tough task, given the fierce competition."
The route during the first week of the 2025 Tour de France seems to be tailor-made for a punchy rider such as Lafay. "There’s the finish in Boulogne-sur-Mer on day two and there are also finishes in Rouen, Vire and Mûr-de-Bretagne. It’s a great first week, really tailored to the explosive riders. There will be plenty of opportunities. I’m going to focus on that. If I can win a stage, and even better, wear the yellow jersey... That would be incredible."
Read also

Ondrej ZhasilCycling Journalist
Ondřej Zhasil is a cycling journalist at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2023. He is based in Ostrava, the third-largest city in the Czech Republic, and covers professional cycling across the main UCI competitions, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España. A key focus of his work is startlist analysis and pre-race coverage, where he examines team selections, rider line-ups, and tactical scenarios ahead of major events.
Alongside WorldTour coverage, Ondřej has developed specific expertise in junior cycling and in racing across East Asia, including competitions in China and Japan. He also maintains a broad working knowledge of other disciplines and levels, including cyclocross, while continuing to expand his understanding of mountain bike racing.
Ondřej holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Physics, which supports his analytical, data-driven approach to performance and race analysis. In his reporting, he regularly uses 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.
claps 1visitors 1
Just in
Popular news
Latest comments
- Pidcock finished 9th place, 29 minutes down. he is a helluva rider, so gutsy. and he is amazing at all disciplines. but this headline is . . .mij09-11-2026
- I know, watch the video. and listen to her competitors. it was a tricky tacky call at best. WTF is this guy talking about??? my original comment was from the picture it didn't look like anything.mij09-11-2026
- I dunno what you're talking about. you make no sense. MS's competitor and the competitors coach said it was BS. she didn't deviate in a way that relegation should be required. revel LOL. you're so cool, in your own mind.mij09-11-2026
- deviation lol, watch the videomij09-11-2026
- the 'No different than women who follow and discuss celebs through gossip magazines' comment was unfortunately a bit off. didn't you just boast about your principles in the comments section of another article?Ketterechts08-11-2026
- Are you MrMauMau 2.0? Nothing you are saying is really relevant. Vaguely connected, but irrelevant. The conversation is whether Schreiber impeded Brand or not.
Rafionain-Glas08-11-2026 - He is boring
leedorney08-11-2026 - To Twoje przemyślenia te bla, bla :)
Dariusz08-11-2026 - Uwielbiam patrzeć, jak wyjeżdża na czoło peletonu i zaczyna się rzeź...
Dariusz08-11-2026 - Yeah, unreal.
parisbound0008-11-2026
Loading
Write a comment









