What a season! After winning the Grand Prix du Morbihan and the Tour du Finistère, Julien Simon came out on top again Tuesday during the first stage of the Tour du Limousin.
Always One Pedal Ahead
False-flat arrivals and last-kilometer bursts of speed are Julien’s specialty, as he has proven once again with his first-stage victory in the Tour du Limousin between Verneuil-sur-Vienne and La Souterraine. It all started with his surprise attack just after the last kilometer flag. Julien kept pushing forward as the other sprinters rallied and crossed the finish line just ahead of Italy’s Matteo Trentin (UAE) and Spain’s Alex Aranburu (Movistar), ending the day with the Tour’s first leader’s jersey.
“I’ve participated in the Tour du Limousin many times, but have never come in first. It means a lot to raise my arms here at the finish line. Anthony and I were chosen for the sprint, but at the briefing I floated the idea of attacking on the false flat in the last kilometer. I had an opportunity to try my luck. The attack gave me a tiny lead, and it all turned out fine. The attack was a little premeditated, but actually executing it was another matter. It was a great day for all of us.”
A Leader’s Jersey to Defend
The Tour du Limousin is already a success for the Team. Now, the objective is defend the yellow jersey. Julien Simon and his fellow riders are ready to give their all to keep it.
“We’ll take it one day at a time for the general classification. But we’ve got a good, very uniform team. We’re going to stay the course and do everything we can to keep the jersey.”
Hard Work Pays Off
This new success gives the puncher his third victory since January, for an extremely prolific season that has left nothing to chance.
“It’s been a great season with these three wins. I’ve been pretty steady since May, and I’m enjoying it. I’m pleased, because the first two years with TotalEnergies weren’t easy. I went back to the basics in winter training to regain my jump and explosive power in the finish. There were a lot of long hours with my trainer Maxime. It’s great to see that hard work pay off.”
