Disastrous day for Arkéa–B&B Hotels: Vauquelin crashes and misses title, Tour de France in jeopardy for his domestique

Vauquelin came to the national time trial championship with a second place in the Tour de Suisse to his name. The 24-year-old fast rider was, therefore, full of confidence. “But maybe I was too confident,” he said afterward to Cyclism'Actu. “I started well and can’t say exactly where it happened, but on a slight incline, there was a manhole cover, and my wheel slipped over it, and I ended up on the ground.”

Vauquelin got back up quickly after the crash, but he was understandably no match for Bruno Armirail, who took the title for Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale. “I quickly got back into my rhythm and wanted to make up for lost time as quickly as possible. Maybe that's why I missed something at the end. I had recovered well from the Tour de Suisse, which is easier when things are going well. I would have preferred to win, but my legs felt good, and I was mentally fine.”

While Vauquelin announced that he will now go all out for the French road race title on Sunday, Guernalec can only hope to ride again soon. It is not known whether he would have made the final selection for the Tour, but after a crash in the French time trial on Thursday, the Tour de France seems a long way off for the 27-year-old rider. “After medical examination, a fracture of the first metacarpal bone in his left hand was revealed,” the team announced.

There are now serious doubts about his availability, first and foremost, for Sunday’s road race. Arkéa-B&B Hotels will also be lining up in Lille on July 5 for the start of the Tour de France. Vauquelin will be the lead rider there, but the team around him has not yet been finalized. However, Guernalec has already impressed in individual time trials this season and finished fifth in the Star of Bessèges.