When Bryan Coquard (Vital Concept-B&B Hotels) rivalled Marcel Kittel in one of the closest photo finishes the Tour de France has seen, it seemed as if the diminutive Frenchman, although ultimately not victorious, had signalled his arrival among the top tier of the world's best sprinters. That was 2016, though, and Coquard's career has since stalled. Having won 13 races in the six months before that Tour, he has only won nine races in the 32 months since it.
Early in 2017 Coquard told his Direct Energie boss Jean-Rene Bernaudeau that he was going to move on at the end of the year, and the fall-out was brutal, with Coquard out of favour and ultimately not selected for the Tour de France. Bernaudeau insisted performances weren't good enough, but Coquard's mother claimed the team were "destroying him psychologically".
Speaking to Cyclingnews at the recent Tour of Oman, Coquard revealed it took him a year to get over the whole affair, with his confidence shot to pieces. That was a factor in a hugely disappointing first season with the brand-new Vital Concept team, where the pressure of leadership further hampered his performances.
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After a long, hard look in the mirror, Coquard insists he is back to his old self in 2019 and ready to reach his potential. He lines out at Paris-Nice today, which he describes as the biggest week of his season. It could decide the team's fate in July, with three French Pro Continental teams battling for the remaining two Tour de France wildcards.
Here's what Coquard had to say about his past struggles and hopes for the future.
Cyclingnews: 2018 seemed like a tough season for you. How do you look back on it?
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via Cyclingnews Latest Interviews and Features http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/coquard-i-lost-confidence-in-myself-i-was-scared-of-other-sprinters
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