Flamanville (France) (AFP)

A festive day for the national cyclo-cross, the French championship which takes place Sunday in Flamanville (Manche) gives itself a fragile favorite, Clément Venturini, in the elite men's race.

In the absence of the number one female, Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, immobilized by a surgical intervention, the "truckers" hold the top of the poster. Starting with Venturini, candidate for a third title after his successes in 2017 and 2019 interspersed with a failure in 2018 (6th), "a day without" by his own admission.

Faced with specialists in the discipline (Steve Chainel, David Menut, Joshua and Ludovic Dubau, Matthieu Boulo) and a few other drivers, Clément Russo and Kevin Ledanois in particular, Venturini considers the race open. "I do not place myself above the others," he told AFP while admitting having crossed a plateau in 2019, physically, over the WorldTour races, even if his victory counter is remained stuck in neutral last year.

"I am in the passage times", believes the Lyonnais who has limited his winter program, with no World Cup or race scheduled beyond Flamanville (and therefore no World Cup). "Cyclo-cross is pure pleasure but it comes parallel to the road. The AG2R La Mondiale team and I made the choice of the road. My employer pays me for that".

- High intensities -

Through Venturini, world junior champion of the discipline in 2011 (the silver medal went to Julian Alaphilippe the previous year), illustrates all the difficulty encountered by cyclo-cross to compete with other sectors of cycling. , lack of Olympic recognition. Except in Flemish territory, where its popularity culminates after repeated duels between the Dutchman Mathieu van der Poel and the Belgian Wout Van Aert, become stars of the road.

In Flamanville, where some 300 runners of all categories come together in the park of the local castle near the ocean, the outgoing champion finds a fast course which he knows and appreciates for having already run three times, even if the meaning has since been reversed. "It is both physical and technical", he points out about the 3217 meter long circuit (1837 m in the undergrowth, 2 stairs, 2 boards and only 190 m of road).

"A balanced, technical and rolling course", completes Russo who defines it as "demanding" although without any marked drop. The champion of France hopes 2016 does not set any limit, any more than Kevin Ledanois, his teammate of Arkea-Samsic him also convinced of the benefits of cyclo-cross for the season on road: "I use this discipline to to rework certain qualities, on short efforts of four to five minutes. Cyclo-cross, a high intensity race for one hour, allows me to go precisely on these high intensity efforts ".

The program of the French championships (Sunday):

9:15 am: junior girls race (about 40 min.)

10:30 am: junior boys race (40 min.)

1:20 pm: elite ladies race (40 min.)

3:00 p.m .: elite men's race (1:00)

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