Cycling, first round of the French Cup N3: a top 10 for the CCPD

“Top 10 is what I said,” smiles Yohan Poirier, sports director of the Cyclo Club Périgueux Dordogne. This Friday, in Lot-et-Garonne in Bruch, the Périgourdin club participated in the first round of the Coupe de France, a team trial by teams of 47.6 kilometers. And the runners have managed rather well. The DS had given instructions and it is clear that they were all respected.

Starting with the first, that of hanging on a top 10. The CCPD finished the race in 9th place with a time of 1h02’54. “It’s always the same, we don’t stop saying that we could have won two three seconds and make five or sixth. But we left for a top 10 so doing ninth, it’s not bad. In addition, there was wind and the circuit was hard, ”admits Yohan Poirier. The second instruction was to remain grouped in the first coast which intervened after only seven kilometers of racing. Again, the CCPD did things well. “There were even six at the top of the second bump,” said the sports director.

A very fast finish

And then, the Périgourdins began to win, until Thomas Tiere, Aurélien Pasquet and Louis Pijourlet are getting ahead. Unzames at first intermediate, twelfth at the second time, they made a very fast finish. “We made a very good final, we really finished well and we put 20 or 25 seconds to most of the teams on the return. It means that we have managed the end too, ”says Yohan Poirier.

But what the sports director is most proud of is cohesion, good understanding and commitment within the group. Because even if it means losing seconds, the runners have expected in the bumps, to remain grouped. “I think we’ve wasted time, for sure,” evaluates Yohan Poirier. But when I see the final we do, one in the other, it’s pretty good. »»

From now on, the CCPD must continue on its momentum and garner as many points as possible. On this test, according to the regulations, they managed to take 22 points.