Louis Rouland: "it will be a tough race every day"
Team ARKEA-B&B HOTELS Développement will be in the French Ardennes, where the terrain is ideal for sprinters and, above all, puncheurs.
“The objective over the last few days was to recover well from the Coppi Bartali and prepare for the Circuit des Ardennes. It’s a race I know well, having competed in the Espoir 1 category. It’s a great race, tough every day, with a lot of punchy climbs. I know what to expect with the ARKEA-B&B HOTELS team. With Florian Dauphin and Giosuè Epis, we’ve got some great cards up our sleeves if there’s a big finish. For my part, I’ll be more comfortable when the terrain is rougher. It may well suit a rider like Martin Tjotta, whom I know from racing with him as an amateur, and I’ll be doing my best to ensure that we both get good results together.”
“The Circuit des Ardennes is a tough race with a very fine field. Every day is a classic. Our main aim is to be in the match on every stage. We have the riders to do that. If we’re consistent, there could be some great prospects for the overall classification. The first stage will be more for the sprinters. I’m counting on Florian and Giosuè, our two fastest riders, to get this 4-day event off to a good start.”