Cédrine Kerbaol's Tour de France, Stage 9: "This crash really came at a bad time"

This was already her third Grand Boucle. After two successful editions (white jersey for best young rider in 2023 and stage victory last year), Cédrine Kerbaol , 24, was aiming for her first podium in the general classification this year. Each evening, the EF Education-Oatly rider returned to Libé on the day's stage. This Sunday, August 3, during the ninth and final stage, she fell around sixty kilometers from the finish and never managed to get back to the front of the race, conceding more than 9 minutes to Pauline Ferrand-Prévot . Cédrine Kerbaol ultimately finished this Tour de France in 8th place in the general classification. A slight disappointment.

"Today was a complicated day. There was this fall that really came at a bad time [just before the start of the ascent of the main difficulty of the day, the Col de Joux Plane, classified hors catégorie]. I thought for a while that I was going to be able to join the front of the race, but it didn't work out.

“Psychologically, during the stage, it wasn't easy. I realized it a little bit in stages. At the beginning, I said to myself: "Okay, come on, it'll do." Then: "It's going to be tough, but it can do." And after a while: "Well, that's it, it's over." From then on, it was hard to motivate myself, even if I tried to give it my all until the end. Getting into the top 10 wasn't my goal.

"I had been more spared in the last two Tours de France. But this year, I saw what I was capable of and what we could do with the team. There are no regrets."