Berlin (AFP)
France finished the Berlin Track Cycling World Championships on Sunday with five medals, like last year, but with big doubts in the Olympic sprint events.
The immense satisfaction came from Benjamin Thomas, the leader of the endurance group, fully mature at 24 years old.
Impressive omnium world champion on Saturday, he was again on Sunday on the American, of which he took sixth place, associated with the young Donavan Grondin, 19, a little below the level of his elder.
The title of Benjamin Thomas is however one of the only two French medals in the disciplines registered at the Tokyo Olympic Games (July 24 / August 9) with the money obtained by Marie Le Net and Clara Copponi in the American. The others were acquired over the kilometer (money for Quentin Lafargue, bronze for Michaël D'Almeida) and individual pursuit (bronze by Corentin Ermenault).
The biggest disappointment came from individual speed. The three-colored leader Sébastien Vigier left very frustrated by his elimination from the round of 16 of the tournament. Quentin Caleyron completed another round, but also failed to reach his goal of reaching the quarterfinals. As for Mathilde Gros in the girls, she was also eliminated in the eighth before staying Sunday at the gates of the keirin final.
- "Speed: the black point" -
"The black point is individual speed, both for men and women," recognizes Bruno Lecki, the manager of the France team, when taking stock. "Everything stops in the eighth finals, and there we have to review the copy, there are bound to be things to look for and work on."
The tactical aspect in the duels of the final table will undoubtedly be a line of work before the Games, because in terms of time, all the French have improved their personal records.
"It's more the match approach" that will have to be studied, confirms Lecki. "We have such a speed that the slightest error is paid in cash. Those who are in the last four are those who can run very well".
The overall performance of the tricolor delegation does, however, reveal some positive points, even in speed: "There are interesting things, despite the fact that we do not have medals in the Olympic disciplines, but team speed gentlemen finishes fourth, she is still on the top of the stage, "he notes.
The French sprinters, still medalists at the Worlds since 2012, except once in 2016, failed Wednesday at the foot of the podium, beaten by Australia in the match for the bronze medal.
- Mixed results -
Same keirin glass ceiling, where the French (Vigier and Rayan Helal) reached the semi-finals without reaching the last step.
In their defense, underlines Bruno Lecki, "the level of the races, whether in sprint or in endurance, rose sharply in this Olympic year".
Does this mixed assessment risk causing sleepless nights for the coaches, to form the best possible team for the Games? "It is never easy, a selection, concludes the coach of the French," you always have one or more indisputable people, then you have to make a choice, and inevitably there will be dissatisfied ".
In addition, the German Emma Hinze became the queen of these Berlin world championships on Sunday, winning the world title of keirin, her third gold medal in five days after individual speed and team speed. Three Olympic disciplines in Tokyo!
Among the gentlemen, the Dutch confirmed their status as grand favorites for the speed events: Harrie Lavreysen retained his title of world champion in individual speed on Sunday, beating his compatriot Jeffrey Hoogland in the final.
The two men had helped Wednesday in the opening of these Worlds to give their country the world team title, for the third consecutive year.
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