Yvon Ledanois: "it's an essential step in Kévin Vauquelin's career"
Team ARKEA-B&B HOTELS will be at the start of this year’s Tirreno-Adriatico with Kévin Vauquelin as GC leader.
“It was important for me to return to a UCI World Tour stage race, to show what I’m capable of at this level. I’m happy to be discovering Tirreno-Adriatico. It’s a prestigious race on the calendar, different from the ones I’ve raced at this level in the past. I’m really looking forward to it. I like the opening time trial and I think it will suit me. The rest of the week is made up of long stages that aren’t too hilly and others that are more ‘mountainous’, more undulating, on which I hope I’ll have the opportunity to express myself and see where I stand in relation to my rivals”.
“I’ve just competed in the Drôme Classic and the Trofeo Laigueglia. I feel that my physical condition has gone from strength to strength with a view to the forthcoming events on home soil. I’m particularly keen to race here. I’m originally from the south of Italy, but I now live in the Florence region, so I’ll be almost at home. I know that on Tirreno-Adriatico, I could have a few opportunities: some stages could end in a sprint in a small group and I could show off my speed. For the rest, I’ll be at the service of the leaders of the ARKEA-B&B HOTELS team: Amaury for the massive sprints and Kévin Vauquelin to help him achieve the best possible overall classification”.
“We’ll be lining up at the start of Tirreno-Adriatico with the aim of achieving a good overall classification. To achieve this, our trump card will be Kévin Vauquelin, with Cristián Rodríguez at his side to support him. The ‘Course des Deux Mers’ is a demanding event and a milestone in Kévin’s progression. We’re expecting him to perform well in a UCI World Tour stage race. This is one of the stages he needs to reach in his career plan. The opening time trial, an exercise he loves, should serve as a springboard for him to get the week off to a good start. For the rest, the ARKEA-B&B HOTELS team will have to be opportunistic to slip into any good breakaways that may emerge.”