Straight from the Vendée, 22-year-old Lucas Boniface is moving up to the big leagues. The young sprinter will join the team’s first-team squad next season.
A promotion to the elite is seen as a crowning achievement.
Having excelled in the Tour de Guadeloupe 2023, he was rewarded with the green jersey. Lucas dreamed of reaching the professional level at an early age, and now he has achieved it. He tells us:
“It’s a childhood dream come true. I’ve always been passionate about this sport. I’ve been cycling since I was 4 years old and I used to watch the greats with stars in their eyes, I was really admiring them and now I’m there.”
Is this rise to the elite a consecration for you?
“Yes, in a way, it’s the culmination of a lot of effort and sacrifice. A new story is beginning and I’m already looking forward to seeing how things go in the professional world. In any case, I’m going to have a lot of fun and make the most of it.
What is your dream race?
“For me it’s still the Monuments like Paris-Roubaix, the Tour of Flanders or Milan San-Remo.
But I’m also very keen to take part in the Tour de France because it has quite a special history in my family and I know they’d be very happy to see me take part in this race.”
How did your family and friends react when you told them the news?
“They congratulated me on getting there and they’re really happy for me. They’re really happy that my efforts have paid off.”
Are there any riders in the professional squad with whom you already have an affinity?
“Yes, I’ve always kept in touch with former Vendée U racers with whom I’ve been able to race over the past 3 years, including Thomas, Emilien, Matteo and Sandy.It’s great to see so many Vendée U alumni together now with the big boys.”
