Louis Barré is changing status. The Intermarché-Wanty runner marked the spirits by accompanying the best before taking 6th place in the Amstel Gold Race. A significant result he has hoped for a few years. Now, the 25 -year -old runner wants to confirm at the highest level. And why not on a stage of the Romandie Tour where Directive went to meet him.
Directvelo: What do you remember from your Ardennes?
Louis Barré: I’m happy with the legs. I was really good especially at the Amstel Gold Race, where there I was really very very good and always placed. On the Walloon arrow, I had correct legs but Huy’s wall suited me less well. I couldn’t really go up as a dancer, it slipped.
After your Amstel Gold Race, you were eagerly awaited in Liège …
I felt that we expected a little more from me. I tried to do like on the AMSTEL, to always be well placed. It was the case except for the redoubt where I found myself super far. I had to make a big effort. Then I bet everything on the sprint but I was locked up. I couldn’t sprint. This is my only regret of the week on these Ardennes. I thought I could finish in the first 10 (it finishes 25th, editor’s note). I’m a little disappointed with that, but otherwise, the legs were really good.
“Confirm on a nice race”
Did you expect to be at this level?
I knew I could do it, that I had the capacity in a good day, but it had not yet happened. So it’s good to have done it. Before, I lacked a little trick. As I said this winter (read here), there was a lack of motivation and professionalism on my part. Now, I manage to be well motivated. The Ardennes are races that match me well. Run 250 kilometers, I like it. I just have to be able to confirm on a nice race now.
And go and seek a first success with professionals?
I would like to seek a victory this year. It was the goal I set myself at the start of the season. Afterwards, in this period, it is not easy. There are only WorldTour races practically on the program, this is not that it is the easiest to win. I say that and maybe I’m going to win this week. It would be good (smile).
“Find a very big result”
So you went directly to the Romandie Tour…
I am motivated for this week. I would like to take advantage of the shape to try to get a very big result on a stage. There is a bump on Friday. All the steps are a bit difficult. The stage of this Wednesday was a little hard in the middle but Visma-Lease a Bike came with Matthew Brennan, so necessarily she wants arrivals to the sprint.
Could you try to play the general classification on this Romandie Tour?
For the general, I do not think it is possible to make a big result. But on the mountain stage on Saturday, I will try to hang on as much as possible. I will take advantage of this day to test myself. It can be interesting because I have never made my life a block of collaborations. So, I think it’s a good opportunity to do it. Even for the rest, notably the Dauphiné who will be my next race after a break and a preparation course for the Tour de France. For the moment, we are eleven or twelve in the preselection of the Tour. Otherwise, it will be Vuelta.
