Valentin Madouas empty after a brutal World Championship race: "I was dropped with cramps in both legs"

The last French rider in competition for a great result in the Elite Men's road race of the World Championships, Valentin Madouas got dropped about fifty kilometers from the finish line. The 27-year old rider eventually crossed the line 15th, more than 7 minutes behind winner.

"I have rarely done a race like that, I am completely dead. I was dropped with cramps in both legs," confides the French champion at the microphone of Eurosport.

"It was a cyclocrossman's effort, we could see it at the finish. We had to try to hold on as much as possible, to fight, but it was a way of the cross for everyone. Beaten with what we had, we gave the maximum and we will now debrief this race to come back stronger at the next World Championships," continues Valentin Madouas.

"On a course like that, it's logical that he wins. We said that the favorites were the cyclocrossmen, very skilful riders who are used to repeating efforts. It was not a real World Championship course, but you have to adapt to any type of circuit. Mathieu van der Poel is a great world champion, he totally deserves this victory," he concludes.