Paris-Nice has come to a close after a thrilling week of
racing, with
Matteo Jorgenson securing the yellow jersey. However, one of the
biggest surprises of the race came in the mountains classification, where Thomas
Gachignard emerged as the unexpected winner of the polka-dot jersey.
The 24-year-old Frenchman from Niort admitted that he had
nearly lost faith in keeping the jersey before the final stage
in a press release.
"This morning I almost didn’t believe anymore, even
though I wanted to do everything I could to try and keep that polka-dot jersey.
My idea was to break away and I tried really hard to do that at the beginning
of the stage. Then once we reached the first summit, I completely crumbled
because I had already given everything I had in me."
His exhaustion was so complete that he had no expectation of
stepping onto the podium at the end of the day.
"At the end of the stage, I was ready to go and get
changed on the bus, but I was told that I had to go to the podium because I was
keeping the polka-dot jersey. I asked three or four times if it was true
because I couldn't believe it, it's improbable."
For Gachignard and his team, this victory was a well-earned
reward for their hard work throughout the race, "It's a satisfaction for
the team, we need it, and I also see it as a reward for all the effort I put
in."