Augé: French race is harder to win than ProTour event

Stéphane Augé (Cofidis) will race the Route Adélie de Vitré on April 3rd. He had big respect for the 1.1 French race that doesn't see all the big names, but is a hard race.

"It is a course for the tough men, and you constantly have to change gears, " Augé said in an interview with the organisers. "The côte de la Chesnelière is the most difficult part of the parcours."

Augé said despite being less known the race can be compared to other classics. "Everybody is fighting for position in the end and the tension really rises.

"You will have to be attentive at the front of the peloton, but it is also necessary to conserve energy. The winner here is always a strong rider."

Augé won the 4 Jours de Dunkerque last year, but the experience won't necessarily help. "I will be a marked man on Friday. In the French races there is a constant battle, with very good Continental teams. They are usually very active and we ProTour riders are usually under a lot of surveillance. That's why I think this race may be harder to win than a ProTour race, you are going all-out the whole time!"