Arnaud Démare is about to come back to racing

Arnaud Démare effectuera sa reprise en compétition à l’occasion des 4 Jours de Dunkerque (14 au 19 mai). Entretien.

Arnaud, you’re back in training after your break. How are you feeling?

‘I feel great. I was off for a fortnight. I rested because I needed to. I took advantage of this break in training and competition to have some tests done. They indicated general fatigue. So the decision to cut was the right one. This decision, taken with the sports management of the ARKEA-B&B HOTELS team, should enable me to bounce back in the second half of the season.

How do you feel in training?

‘Like every time you get back on the bike after a break, you get back to basics. You start with the basics and then add specific sessions. It’s a bit like building a house. You lay the foundations and then build around them. So my sensations are those of a runner who’s starting training again and getting better every day’.

Why did you choose the 4 Jours de Dunkerque for your comeback? And what are your plans for these days of racing?

‘The 4 Jours de Dunkerque reminds me of some good times in my career, so it’s an important race for me. This year, it’s going to be a recovery race. I’m going to take it one day at a time, like a daily classic in fact. It’s going to be good to be back with the ARKEA-B&B HOTELS team, my team-mates, the staff and to have a number on my jersey again. As for my ambitions and objectives in the short and medium term.’

Photos : Lucas Pavy & Aubin Lipke / ARKEA-B&B HOTELS