Like the Fortuneo-Samsic formation, the Finistere Laurent Pichon did not have the expected results this season. Only the Tour de France, on which he managed to take pleasure, gave him satisfaction.

Laurent, what is your assessment of the past season?

I am necessarily disappointed. Like every year, I was still in good condition in the spring, but I was not able to materialize. It never turned out the right way. At Tro Bro Leon I'm having a craving, Cholet I'm wrong one turn, on Paris-Camembert I miss my sprint ... At the end of the season, I thought I would catch up and want to do too much, I burned myself. I was in Norway (6th in the Arctic Race), but the result was catastrophic. I squinted. The desire was there, but the legs were gone. I stopped after the Tour de Vendée.

What memories will you keep from your 2nd Tour de France?

Emotionally, it's on the Tour that I spent the best moments of the season. My break between Brest and Mur-de-Bretagne was simply amazing. And then, there was the podium the next day in Fougères with the price of combativeness. A podium on the Tour is not nothing. This is my only podium this year! (he had three victories and the final classification of the Coupe de France in 2017, Ed)

Did the arrival of Warren Barguil in the group change your approach to the season?

Yes and no. Like all the guys on the team, I wanted to be up to Warren. But, I also had in mind the 2017 Tour that I had approached slightly started. This time, I wanted to get to the top in July and focused my preparation on the Tour. Thanks to that, I held well the three weeks and I did not suffer too much in mountains. Collectively, on the Tour and elsewhere, we can not say that we had the expected results. We do not veil the face and I know we'll talk about it from our first reunion for the next season.

Will the arrival of André Greipel leave you room for maneuver next year? Do not you fear being bridled like you were at the FDJ?

I do not know. Maybe I'll get back into "sprint mode" as I was at the FDJ when I had to send Nacer Bouhani. But, I think that I will still be allowed to express myself on the events that correspond to me, on races where I have already proved myself. In the current cycling, with 80% of the races that end grouped, it must be admitted that a big sprinter is indispensable in a team. It also allows to federate a group ... And to gather victories!