Thomas Scully took the first big win in Europe for Drapac when he came out on top in the final stage of the Boucles de la Mayenne. Having made it into a 6-rider break, he was one of four survivor who narrowly held off the peloton, and he beat Anthony Delaplace (Fortuneo-Vital Concept) and Aitor Gonzalez (Euskadi) to claim the biggest victory of his career. Bryan Coquard (Direct Energie) had to settle for 12th but it was enough to win the race overall.

We have gathered a few reactions.

Victorious Bryan Coquard: Some teams only wanted to make us lose

"When I crossed the line, I did not know if I had won,” Bryan Coquard told Directvelo. “The day was very hard. From the beginning of the race, we were not the team to beat but to kill. Some obviously rode to make us lose.

“The finale of the stage was complicated. With two laps to go, Thomas [Voeckler] and Tutu [Angelo Tulik] began to close the gap to the breakaway. Then I made an effort 1.5 km from the line.

“I am very happy. The balance of Boucles de la Mayenne is super positive for the team Direct Energie and for me. It seems that the organizer is disappointed that I didn’t do the sprint? I'm sorry if the spectators are disappointed too. Everyone plays with his strength ... Anyway, I am very proud to be part of this team. You can really trust us.

“The job never stops: we leave tomorrow to do a recon of the stage of Tour de France that finishes in Limoges. We have already looked at the oneto Angers and we will later see the Normandy roads. The Tour is my big goal, not the French Championships. You have seen it, it almost looks like a mountain race! "
 

Triumphant Thomas Scully: I knew I was in great shape

"I did not necessarily expect to win the stage today,” Thomas Scully told Directvelo. “When I attacked it was to put pressure on the yellow jersey. Still, I knew I was in shape. I did a very good prologue on Thursday but unfortunately I crashed on Friday. So, I had to focus on a stage win.

“We rode very fast on the final circuit, it allowed us to stay away. I am very happy, especially since this is my first victory this year and especially my first win at this level. This is a great result for me and team Drapac.”

Disappointed FDJ team: There was no race at all

It's not for a lack of trying, but after the second place of Johan Le Bon in the prologue,the FDJ team failed to win a stage. It is true that the final winner Bryan Coquard took two of the four successes but in a controlled race, FDJ finally got close in the final stage where Marc Sarreau took fifth place.

"Honestly,” says manager Marc Madiot, ”there was no race! Everything wanted to make it to a sprint. Every day I asked my riders to attack, they did, but they were the only ones.”

It is true that in the first two stages the FDJ team placed riders in the breakaways, Sébastien Chavanel first and then Daniel Hoelgaard but each time the escape could not make it.  Yoann Offredo tried to change the race twice but nobody followed.

"In the first sprint that was very hectic, Marc Sarreau took eighth place,” Madiot said. “The next day, Lorrenzo Manzin finished fifth and Marc Sarreau also took fifth place on Sunday. Today we were close to the win as Marc won the bunch sprint three seconds behind Tom Scully (Drapac) who beat his three breakaway companions. Marc finished on the heels of the fourth place finisher. Moreover, finishing second in the stage, Delaplace (Fortuneo Vital Concept) passed Johan Le Bon who ends the Boucles de la Mayenne in fourth place. The good news is that Marc Sarreau is good and Lorrenzo Manzin is getting better.”