No one expected him at such a party.
Maybe not even him: still very well placed but not yet always a winner, the Auvergnat Jordan Sarrou became on Saturday, the cross-country world champion to succeed Julien Absalon 6 years later, crowned for the last time in 2014. New strong man in French mountain biking, the 27-year-old rider is enjoying it.
How do you feel a few hours after your performance?
JORDAN SARROU.
This is something I dreamed of, but I hadn't planned so much.
A medal would have been good, but here I won the race with style.
It was a day when nothing could happen to me, I was determined, I did almost anything I wanted with the bike, it was crazy.
This victory is really huge.
I don't yet realize what I did, I'm on my planet, it's pretty amazing what's happening to me.
I am really very happy to bring this success to France.
Is it special to succeed Julien Absalon, the double Olympic champion and the last French world champion in 2014?
Julien is my "Team manager", I have been part of his team for two years now.
He brought me serenity during my races, he also gives me information during the competitions, it's nice to have him by my side.
He waited for me just after the finish line, it was a great moment, it will stay engraved in my head.
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How do you explain the triumph of the Blues this weekend with three world titles?
There is a sacred French density in this World.
This Leogang circuit was a bit old-fashioned, with fairly long bumps and mud, and France is really good on this type of terrain.
On this difficult course, we were in good physical shape and that's what made the difference.
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Your next one will be at the Olympic Games in Tokyo?
I had participated in the Test Event (
Editor's note: a test used to test the Olympic site where he had finished fourth
) in Izu with the aim of obtaining information on the course.
It's an artificial circuit, everything was blank at the start.
They have built a great course, very physical, where there are steep but short bumps, with a lot of technical commitments also with scree.
It had to be a very close and really spectacular race.
Are you sure you qualify for these games, if they take place?
For the moment, two places are reserved for the French but, in 2020, no race will count for qualification for the Games.
Next year, two World Cup rounds will be qualifying.
Certainly, my victory this weekend will mark the spirits, but I am not yet officially qualified for the next Olympiad.
As a world champion, it would be weird not to be at the start.
