Roubaix (AFP)

"I'm putting myself at peace with this race", appreciated the Frenchman, titled for the first time in this basic endurance event even if it is no longer on the Olympic program.

"Extra-terrestrial" of the endurance group of the "Blues", according to the expression of the national trainer Steven Henry, the champion of France of the time trial illuminated the evening for the French camp next to the American Ashton Lambie, winner of the individual pursuit at the expense of Italians Jonathan Milan and Filippo Ganna.

On the 160 laps (40 km) interspersed with 16 sprints, the Tarnais established in Italy on the shores of Lake Garda - he lives with an Italian pistarde - put on the show.

Surprised by Belgian Kenny De Ketele from the first quarter of the race, he started to make up for lost time and won ... eight sprints.

"I tried to hold onto Kenny. When I saw that it was just the two of us in the game, I tried to put pressure on him. I knew I was a little faster than him, I had to make him make an effort ", then explained the new world champion.

From right to left, Belgian silver medalist Kenny De Ketele, French gold medalist Benjamin Thomas and Dutch bronze medalist Vincent Hoppezak, on the podium in the points race at the world pistol cycling championships Vélodrome Jean -Stablinski in Roubaix (France) on October 22, 2021 Denis Charlet AFP

“During the race, I really doubted, I was really behind compared to Kenny. I did not count my pedal strokes, even if it meant taking a long distance in the sprints and exposing myself. pushed by the public, it's just incredible! ”added the Frenchman, who was even encouraged by his Groupama-FDJ teammate, the sprinter Arnaud Démare, who came as a neighbor.

Ganna woke up

Benjamin Thomas imitated Donavan Grondin, his partner of the American at the Tokyo Olympics with whom he won a bronze medal which comforted him after his disappointment in the omnium (4th).

Thursday, Grondin had won the first title for the "Blues", in the scratch test.

"The medal of the American made me good, it allowed me to leave Tokyo with peace of mind and to arrive on the track at the end of the season with a lot of desire", analyzed the chef. leader of the France team, which now has four world titles after the two of the omnium (2017, 2020) and that of the American (2017) conquered with Morgan Kneisky who will be his partner on Sunday in this last event.

Since the points race was included in the World Championships program (1977), Thomas is the third French winner, after Laurent Biondi in 1990 and Franck Perque in 2004.

In the finals on the program, the Dutchman Jeffrey Hoogland flew over the kilometer (58 sec 418) before Lambie, an American who sports a 1900s mustache, defeated the Italian Jonathan Milan in pursuit.

The Italian Filippo Ganna during the individual pursuit where he took third place at the track cycling world championships at the Jean-Stablinski Velodrome in Roubaix (France), October 22, 2021 Denis Charlet AFP

Ganna, the great specialist, got off to a bad start in qualifying, "the worst of his career" according to the Italian coach who spoke above all of a form of mental fatigue.

Because "Pippo" finished very quickly (58 sec 4 on the last km), proof of his physical resources.

In the evening, the quadruple champion of the event, fully awake, "killed" the match for third place by riding on the basis of the world record.

But he reached the podium only for bronze.

© 2021 AFP