“Allez les Bleus, allez les Bleus”… The Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines velodrome has been transformed into a football stadium to accompany the triumphal march of Benjamin Thomas and Donavan Grondin in the Madison event (American). Bronze medalists in the discipline at the Tokyo Olympics, the duo offered a third title of world champion (after those of Mathilde Gros and Marie-Divine Kouamé) to the French clan (7th medal in total). Thomas and Grondin, pros on the road at Cofidis and Arkéa-Samsic respectively, rode “the perfect race” as they explained, leading in the points, then taking a lap from the rest of the peloton when the Netherlands passed in front. . The French, with 65 points, dominated the British (47 points) and Belgians (43 points). A real demonstration.
Silver medalist on Saturday in the omnium, Benjamin Thomas won the 5th world title of his career after those of 2017 (American, omnium), 2020 (omnium) and 2021 (points race). At 27, the rider from Tarn, based in Italy, double French time trial champion, is also enjoying a full season on the road with his successes at the Étoile de Bessèges, the Boucles de la Mayenne and a first Successful Tour de France where he only missed 500m to win the Carcassonne stage.
“The crowd gave us wings”
“At first, I had trouble getting into it after Saturday’s Omnium, admits Benjamin Thomas. Nino (Donavan) did huge sprints and gave me confidence. When I told him to go, he went… We felt good with the Italians. Then it’s management. We were able to ensure, enjoy the last laps. It is a collective happiness. It’s really exceptional whereas in Tokyo we had crossed the line without knowing that we had crossed it… There, we were able to just enjoy and enjoy. It is a collective happiness. There are still two years before the Olympics. We’re not going to ignite. It will go even faster and there will be different opponents. There, it’s a different context, it’s the end of the seasons and everyone is a little tired. »
“This morning, I remotivated him a little, smiles the Reunionese Donavan Grondin, 23 years old. But with experience, he knows how to run very well. He really has a calculator in his head. He’s a great tactician, a great leader. I am happy to share this title with someone like him. The atmosphere was magnificent. The crowd pushed us, with each lap it was screaming louder and louder. All of this gave me wings. »
On the podium, during the Marseillaise, the communion continued between the public and the two new World Champions five years after the last French title in this discipline (Thomas with Morgan Kneisky in Hong Kong in 2017).
Big at the foot of the podium on the keirin
A few minutes later the decibels rose again in the Saint-Quentin-En-Yvelines Velodrome for the Keirin final with Mathilde Gros. “Des Mathilde, Mathilde” accompanied the start of the race. But the Frenchwoman, crowned world speed champion on Friday, failed at the foot of the podium (4th). Marie-Divine Kouamé, world champion in the 500m, finished 8th.