Pierre Latour was arguably the most eye-catching neo-pro of the 2015 season, giving an indication of his potential by finishing third at the Route du Sud behind Alberto Contador and Nairo Quintana. That promise blossomed further in 2016, with solid displays across a much tougher programme of races, culminating with a stage victory at the Vuelta a Espana - his Grand Tour debut.
The Frenchman has barely put a foot wrong since turning pro, and Cyclingnews caught up with him at AG2R La Mondiale’s recent training camp in Vaujany to look back on the season just gone, and ahead to the next steps on the journey.
Cyclingnews: What’s your assessment of the 2016 season?
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Pierre Latour: A good one. I won a WorldTour race – I did a fair few WorldTour races actually, with Paris-Nice, Pais Vasco, Romandie, Suisse, San Sebastian, Lombardia, and the Vuelta. Last year it was just Catalunya and Lombardia. I’m happy with it because it’s another step forward. Last year I was a bit on the limit at the WorldTour races but this year at Pais Vasco and Romanide, I was up there with the top 10, 15. Then Suisse I had the jersey for a day, but fell ill. Things then started to improve again and at the Vuelta it was even better, and Lombardy went well too. So it’s a good report card. I’d have like to have won more races, but when your calendar changes to include so much WorldTour it’s complicated.
CN: The Vuelta victory must have more than made up for that?
PL: I was hoping it would happen but I wasn’t expecting it. I thought my last shot at victory was the Tour de l’Ain, and I did second, third, and then third overall. I thought my chance had gone. So I went to the Vuelta and wasn’t expecting anything, because it’s a WorldTour race, my first Grand Tour and, what’s more, it came after three weeks of racing. The team had been lacking luck throughout, Jan [Bakelants] and Axel [Domont] were in the breaks but never finished it off. The win did us all good, liberated the team, allowed us to put a good full stop to the Vuelta.
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