Izu (Japan) (AFP)
The French men's track cycling sprint team on Tuesday won the Olympic bronze medal by beating Australia in the classification match of the Tokyo Olympics.
In 42 sec 331/100 Florian Grengbo, Sébastien Vigier and Rayan Helal, brought the Blues their 24th medal in Tokyo.
This is the first cycling award for France during the Games.
Historical highlight of the French sprint, team speed showed an average age of 22 years.
Beside Florian Grengbo, 20, and Rayan Hélal, 22, Sébastien Vigier looked like an elder at the age of 24.
It is he, as a torchbearer, who has the most experience in this trio which has never been lined up in a major meeting, for lack of competitions since the Worlds in Berlin in February 2020.
"We arrive without too much pressure, with that more to go and get, experience, we have never run together in speed by team, which is our main objective", had announced when arriving in Tokyo Vigier, the only survivor of the team that took fourth place at the last Worlds in February 2020 in Berlin.
With Grengbo, who replaced Grégory Baugé as starter, France was going a little into the unknown.
"We have worked a lot together since we know the selection (...) I think we are steadfast, we just did not make official competition all three", had played down Vigier.
"Team speed is the race that will kick off our week, if we start well (...) that will free us up for the individual events," added the leader of the speed group.
© 2021 AFP