Audrey Cordon-Ragot shared her insights on the Tour de Normandie and women’s cycling with France3 ahead of the race that started today.
Speaking about her absence from the second edition of the Tour de Normandie Femmes, Cordon-Ragot expressed a hint of regret. She acknowledged that her team, Human Powered Health, had not opted to participate this year due to scheduling decisions, although she would have liked to be involved.
Reflecting on the Tour de Normandie, Cordon-Ragot highlighted its positive aspects, including its well-organised nature and the addition of a time trial, which she considered a significant enhancement to the race.
Regarding the importance of time trials in attracting world-class teams, Cordon-Ragot noted their relative rarity in France and emphasised the appeal of the Tour de Normandie’s inclusion of this discipline.
Cordon-Ragot also underscored the need to follow women’s cycling, noting its dynamic nature and the accessibility of the athletes, which she likened to the cycling culture of past decades. “You find men’s cycling from the 90s/2000s by following the women’s races,” she emphasised. As men’s cycling closes itself off, the availability of the riders has reduced. A point which hasn’t yet been reached in the women’s peloton, something that’s good for the fans.
While discussing her personal favourites for the race, Cordon-Ragot mentioned Ellen Van Dijk, highlighting her triple-time trial world champion status, along with other strong contenders like Cédrine Kerbaol and Victoire Berteau.
She expressed anticipation for the upcoming Paris Games and her focus on preparing for them, indicating a shift in her training peaks towards the summer months.
Finally, Cordon-Ragot shared her thoughts on the selection process for the Olympic Games in Paris, noting the importance of early announcements so riders know if they will be racing on home soil later this year.
