He has dreamed for at least four years of raising his arms, collapsed from fatigue and his legs full of lactic acid, to the top of the Huy wall. Since his second place on the Flèche Wallonne, postponed to the fall that year, Benoît Cosnefroy, the puncher of Décathon-AG2R, is convinced that the Belgian classic is made for him. And that he can become the French successor to Julian Alaphilippe, three times winner of the event. Even if David Gaudu (Groupama-FDJ), recent winner of the Tour du Jura, will be present, Cosnefroy will be the French best chance to shine.
His start to the season is very satisfactory. Winner this winter of the Tour des Alpes-Maritimes as well as a stage, the Normand then won Paris-Camembert. And on April 10, full of power, he also won the Flèche Brabançonne semi-classic. With confidence after a year 2023 polluted by some physical problems, Cosnefroy will advance to the foot of the Huy wall with many ambitions.
“Mentally, I feel very good,” he relishes. The form is there. I also had the legs in the Amstel Gold Race even if it didn't show in the result (Editor's note: 16th). But, at the same time, it's difficult to say you're very confident before a race like the Flèche Wallonne. Because it plays out at the end. You have to maintain a very substantial effort and it's not easy to keep it up until the end. 150 m from the line, nothing is decided yet. »
For the leader of his team in this race, the Flèche Wallonne remains an atypical event. “Less than two kilometers before the end, the favorites are almost still in comfort,” he observes. And a few dozen seconds later, everyone crossed the line in a pitiful physical state. The lactic effort explodes everyone and it is only in this race that we see that. »
No Pogacar
Even if there is not necessarily a precise recipe for winning, some runners were more skillful than others. Like the Spaniard Alejandro Valverde, five times winner between 2006 and 2017 (and again 2nd in 2022 at… 42 years old). “It’s true that tactics are not necessarily the most important thing here,” concedes Cosnefroy. You have to be physically fit and then put yourself into survival mode when the lactic acid attacks your legs. »
But Cosnefroy knows that no one can be considered the big favorite this Wednesday. Tadej Pogacar, the outgoing winner, reserves himself for Liège-Bastogne-Liège on Sunday. On paper, the best are the Englishman Tom Pidcock (Ineos), recent winner of the Amstel Gold Race, the Swiss Marc Hirschi (UAE) winner of the Flèche ahead of Cosnefroy in 2020, the Russian Alexandre Vlasov (Bora-Hansgrohe) or the Dane Mattias Skjelmose (Lidl -Trek). “I dare to say that I arrive with confidence,” notes the Frenchman. And I want to play the leading roles. But I must also admit that it has been a long time since I competed in a race that required such a violent effort at the end. I don't have too many points of reference anymore. Last year, I had to withdraw just before departure due to food poisoning. So, I remain cautious.”
But Cosnefroy would be wrong to be too modest. He knows that he is also buoyed by the excellent dynamics of his Decathlon-AG2R training and its very successful start to the season with already nine victories thanks to Ben O'Connor, Cosnefroy and the amazing Paul Lapeira. His team is rediscovering great ambitions. And Cosnefroy too.