Roubaix (AFP)

If the pair Copponi / Le Net secured the silver, the fifth medal since the start of the competitions, Vigier is still at the stage of expectations.

But the number one French sprinter entered the final four of individual speed, the flagship event, for the second time in his career after his third place in 2018.

"It's a good omen," smiled the Essonnian (24), winner with authority over Pole Mateusz Rudyk in his quarter-final.

Fourth in qualifying on Saturday morning, Vigier will face in the semifinals on Sunday the favorite, the Dutchman Harrie Lavreysen, the benchmark of the unbeaten sprint since 2019 both at the Worlds and the Olympics.

"He has no weak point, he accelerates hard and he takes a long time. Where I can go to match him, it is by going in contact with him", detailed the French, who appeared transformed into a match compared in recent seasons.

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"I feel great, I love what I'm doing, I'm going to the starting line without any stress," explained Vigier, who returned the pressure to Lavreysen: "he's the one who must have it!"

But the French (24 years old) knows full well that he is attacking a fortress.

Lavreysen easily dominated the other French representative, Rayan Helal, in the quarter-finals.

The optimism of the American

As for the second Dutchman, Jeffrey Hoogland, he was seriously hung up by the Russian giant Mikhail Iakovlev (1.99 m), a newcomer in the elite of the sprint, but he managed to qualify for the semi-finals, all like the German Stefan Bötticher.

For their part, Clara Copponi and Marie Le Net reissued their performance at the 2020 Worlds when they took the silver behind the Dutch pair formed of Kirsten Wild and Amy Pieters, already titled in 2019.

In Roubaix, the two young French women (21 years old) finished again behind their much more experienced rivals (39 years old for Wild).

But they managed to push them to their limits since the last sprint was decisive.

The French Clara Copponi and Marie Le Net (center) win the American's silver medal at the Roubaix Worlds, October 23, 2021 FRANCOIS LO PRESTI AFP

"We have improved a lot, still a second place but it will smile, we will get there!", Reacted Copponi, the Provençal who overcame her disappointment of the Olympics (5th) and managed to get back on the road (both on the road) ( 3rd in the Tour of Great Britain) than on the track.

"We are still missing something but we will work," promised Le Net, the Breton who, like Copponi, wears the colors of the FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine team on the road.

In the omnium, Donavan Grondin lost most of his chances by giving up a lap in the race tempo and took 7th place in the final.

The Reunionese, winner of the scratch Thursday, will have a new chance on Sunday in the elimination as, in the American, Benjamin Thomas associated with Morgan Kneisky who bids farewell at the highest level.

© 2021 AFP