Bryan Coquard Secures First Grand Tour Victory in Vuelta a España Stage

Bryan Coquard of Cofidis celebrated a career milestone, clinching his first victory in a major cycling tour by winning the eighth stage of the Vuelta a España. The French sprinter triumphed in a dramatic sprint finish, crossing the line ahead of his rivals.

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I am proud and happy after my first victory in a grand tour. My team did a perfect job. We don't have many good lead-out men, but I count on Alexis Renard, who did a great job.

"I am proud and happy after my first victory in a grand tour," Coquard stated after the stage. The 34-year-old rider has frequently secured second-place finishes in major races, making this win particularly meaningful. He attributed the success to his team's flawless execution, singling out Alexis Renard for his exceptional work in the lead-out.

"My team did a perfect job. We don't have many good lead-out men, but I count on Alexis Renard, who did a great job," Coquard explained. He admitted to experiencing pressure due to previous near misses, noting that a lack of strong sprint performances meant fewer opportunities in the race. "It's incredible to finally get this victory. It's not that I lacked confidence, but I felt pressure."

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It's incredible to finally get this victory. It's not that I lacked confidence, but I felt pressure. When you don't have good sprints, it's one less opportunity, and we don't have many opportunities in this Vuelta.

Coquard acknowledged that he had made positioning errors in earlier sprints during the Vuelta. "I wasn't well-placed in the first two sprints," he said. However, he maintained faith in his physical condition, stating, "I knew I had good legs. Yesterday I was in the breakaway. Maybe now I'm a bit better at climbing, but I'm still fast!" he concluded with a smile, looking forward to future stages.

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I wasn't well-placed in the first two sprints. I knew I had good legs. Yesterday I was in the breakaway. Maybe now I'm a bit better at climbing, but I'm still fast!