Having already sounded the death knell at the end of the first week with a fine second place, Mathieu is now back on the Tour de France podium with a fine third place.
Resistance above all.
Mathieu gave it his all today, both as a puncheur and a climber, the 24-year-old rider is playing in the big leagues and is once again hanging on to the best. After catching the leading group and then the breakaway early in the afternoon, he didn’t let up and even redoubled his efforts to finish on the podium just behind Wout Poels (Bahrain Victorious) and Wout Van Aert (Jumbo Visma). All the more reason for the team to come up with new ideas ahead of the third and final week of the Tour de France.
Mathieu’s comments:
“It was a great Tour. I have no regrets, I’m giving it my all. Of course, it’s not victory…but when you give it your all, there are no regrets.”
On holding off the likes of Thibaut Pinot (Groupama FDJ):
“I felt I was doing well in the final, so I thought why not go out. It’s true that it’s a pleasure to finish ahead of such strong guys.”
