"Maybe it’s an inferiority complex. I told myself I couldn’t beat them" - Romain Gregoire admits mental weakness vs Pogacar & Van der Poel at Tour de France

Stage 2 of the 2025 Tour de France saw all the big names come out to play. Right there amongst them, was Groupama - FDJ's Romain Gregoire, but after the Frenchman had to settle for a 4th placed finish behind Mathieu van der Poel, Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard, Gregoire was left rueing what could have been.

“There are a few things I regret because I felt really good,” the 22-year-old talent told Eurosport after the stage, admitting he knows where things went wrong tactically in the finale. “I focused on Van der Poel’s wheel; he really wanted it. But because of that, I got boxed in.”

Whilst tactically there were errors however, Gregoire admits his real mistake might have come in the form of some mental weakness in the finale as he saw himself surrounded by the superstars of the sport. “I didn’t dare use my elbows and shoulders to fight for Van der Poel’s wheel. I regret that," he explains. "I wouldn’t have beaten them anyway, and third or fourth doesn’t change much, but it’s about the principle and the intention."

"I would have preferred to fight for his wheel until 200 meters from the finish, and I missed that courage and fighting spirit," concludes Gregoire ruefully. "Maybe it’s an inferiority complex because I told myself I couldn’t beat them anyway. But even then, it’s worth trying.”