05/12/2023

Victor Lafay targets breakthrough in classics: "It will be tough to win against guys like Tadej Pogacar and Remco Evenepoel, but dreaming is allowed"

Already known among cycling enthusiasts and talent scouts, Victor Lafay made a name for himself in the opening week of the last Tour de France. First when he was the only rider able to follow Pogacar and Vingegaard uphill in the first stage, but even more when he denied Wout Van Aert a sure victory on the very next day. Now his next steps will take him to Decathlon AG2R La Monidale Team, where he aims to add on to his win tally.

"I'm really excited and curious about this new type of cycling project," he told IDL."Decathlon is becoming the new main sponsor and I suspect we will certainly feel its impact. Initially, just by the new Van Rysel bike alone. We also have a strong roster of riders, so that bodes well. The team's structure was one of the reasons for my move."

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"I spoke with several teams about my future last year, even before the Tour de France. Indeed, I found it difficult to make a decision. Having a choice at all is of course a kind of luxury position. I was lucky enough to be able to make the choice myself regarding my sporting future. I deliberately chose this team. There were several foreign options for me, but I definitely preferred the French cycling culture within this team. It was the best choice I could make," he responded.

"Hopefully, I can continue to develop strongly like I have in past seasons, as that's a major source of enjoyment," he then turns to his personal goals. "I'm confident that I can achieve this with this team. Continuously improving is a process that really appeals to me. First and foremost, I want to do better than in 2023. Increasing my victory tally is therefore important. There are many races I'd like to win that also really suit my characteristics. I'm thinking of races like Flèche Wallonne or Liège-Bastogne-Liège. It will be tough to win against guys like Tadej Pogacar and Remco Evenepoel, but dreaming is always allowed and possible."