Cycling: the France European champion in the mixed relay

Europe 1 with AFP // Photo credits: DAVID PINTENS / BELGA MAG / Belga via AFP 17:46 p.m., September 21, 2023

The France became European champion in the mixed relay time trial at the Euro Road Cycling Championship on Thursday in the Dutch province of Drenthe. This is the first title for Les Bleus in this recent event, which appeared in 2019 at the World and European Championships, which brings together three men, then relayed by three women in each team.

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Gold in Europe after silver at the World Cup

Audrey Cordon-Ragot, Cédrine Kerbaol, Juliette Labous, Bruno Armirail, Rémi Cavagna and Benjamin Thomas edged out Italy by 4 seconds and Germany by 22 seconds to take gold in the rain, after already winning a silver medal at the Worlds in Glasgow in August.

"We rode really well, it was hard, but the guys had prepared the ground for us, we were not allowed to miss," said Audrey Cordon-Ragot at the microphone of the TV Team. Rémi Cavagna returned the compliment: "It is thanks to them that we are here. At the World Championships, we finished second by seven seconds, we really wanted revenge. It's great for the France team."

Switzerland, the two-time reigning world champion, finished only sixth. It was without Stefan Küng who crashed violently the day before during the individual time trial. The Groupama-FDJ rider suffered an uncomplicated concussion as well as a fractured cheekbone and hand, his team said.