CIC-Tour Féminin des Pyrénées – Stage 3 – A Weekend with no regrets

A final stage on the attack. To finish the CIC Women’s Tour of the Pyrenees on a high note, Team Cofidis went on the attack once again, with Nadia Quagliotto in the day’s winning breakaway. On this very hot day and on a demanding course, our Italian rider took third place. In the peloton, Ema Comte confirmed her form. She retained her fifth place overall and her white jersey as best young rider. Positive results just ahead of the national championships. 

Mélanie Briot, sports director:

"The final stage of the CIC - Tour Féminin des Pyrénées featured a very, very demanding course on an extremely hot day, with temperatures reaching 36 degrees. The riders were already fatigued from the Tourmalet the day before. The goal was really to stay in the top 5 of the general classification with Ema Comte, above all to have no regrets, and also to get either Nadia Quagliotto or Victoire Berteau into the breakaway.

So we had Nadia up front in a group of 12. We went for the win and made the podium. I think we were beaten by a stronger team, but it was a really great day. They showed great teamwork, a tight-knit group, and I think it paid off. Ema also gave it a shot in the final stretch—nothing to complain about. I think we’re ending the day with no regrets, with solid results, just like the weekend in general.

I’m very satisfied, very happy with how the girls raced these past three days.  I think we’ll take a lot of positives from these races and also gain confidence right before the national championships. So it’ll be good for the girls, for the team. We’ve been close for a while. We proved it with Martina Alzini on the first stage; we finished 3rd today and Ema took the white jersey with a 5th-place finish overall.  They raced perfectly; the hard work is paying off, and I think it’s going to be really good for everyone."