Asked about their continued bad luck, Madiot didn’t deny the
impact of misfortune. “We agree. Especially since yesterday, we suffered a
crash while we were fighting to win the stage, so it’s frustrating,
disappointing, but that’s racing.” Groupama – FDJ’s Saturday ambitions were
derailed in the final kilometers, a moment that perfectly embodies the tension
and risk between potential and outcome that has haunted their Tour efforts in
recent years.

So what was the team missing this time around?

“A bit of luck, especially yesterday (Saturday). But on the
decisive stages, we had Romain Grégoire. He’s still developing; he’s 22 years
old. When you’re up against Pogacar or Van der Poel, he’s still missing a
little bit of a step. But he’s getting there, progressing. We have to stay the
course.”

Grégoire’s emergence has been one of the few bright spots
for Groupama–FDJ. While still raw, the young rider has been given
responsibility in high-pressure situations. But at this level, the gaps in
class and experience still show. For Madiot, the task now is ensuring those
gaps close in time.

As for the race itself, Madiot took a balanced view. “I saw
two weeks of the Tour that were attractive, punchy, sexy, and exciting. The
last week was more about control and moderation, but that was logical given the
standings. It’s not an exceptional vintage, but a good one. It could have been
if the intensity had lasted the entire last week. But you can’t ask the
impossible of the riders, and it’s better that way.”

Madiot, who has never been one to shy away from direct
commentary on cycling’s direction, also offered a few words on the Tour’s final
day and Wout van Aert’s victory in Paris. The Belgian incredibly dropped
Pogacar, the first man to do so in this year’s Tour, on the final ascent of the
Montmartre.

“Wout van Aert. I have great admiration for this rider. He
is in constant opposition to Van der Poel, who succeeds in everything. He was
able to rebuild himself, to redevelop, to return to the fight; he is coming
back from difficult times. And that he wins today on the Champs-Élysées, with
this rather special stage, is a sign of destiny. I am in awe.”

The Montrmartre climb was used for the first time in the
Tour, after initially being used during the Olympics last year. Madiot didn’t
entirely approve of the format of the stage, though. “There was a little
‘circus’ side that I don’t like, but also the victory of what cycling is
intrinsically: self-denial, determination, experience, commitment. And what we
experienced today (Sunday) with Wout Van Aert is something to think about.”

If there’s one thread running through all of Madiot’s
remarks, it’s (as always) realism. Cycling is unpredictable. Preparation
matters, but so does circumstance. “The result of the Tour depends on us, but
not only on us. There are the circumstances of the race and adversity. We have
to remain objective, whether things go well or not, and find balance.”

With Tadej Pogacar capturing his fourth Tour title,
speculation has naturally turned toward whether the Slovenian will join, or
even surpass, the exclusive club of five-time winners. Madiot isn’t rushing to
crown him.

“Based on the current situation, we’d like to say yes, it’s
going to be easy and simple to achieve. But beware of time, habit, and
relaxation. Nothing is a given. Remember, in the past, many victories were
predicted for certain riders: Jan Ullrich, who was predicted to win several
times, only won one. So: observation and prudence are the right words.”

Cautious optimism defines Madiot’s view, both of the sport
and his team. As Groupama – FDJ approaches its seventh Tour since last standing
on a stage podium, the pressure to deliver grows, especially in the French
press. But for now, the focus remains on staying the course and developing the
next wave of talent.

When will the long game pay off?