Spanish national champion Roméo targets Tour stage wins: ‘I’ve shown what I’m capable of’

Despite his young age, Roméo is already in his third year as a pro. The first two years were mainly about gaining experience, but now he’s stringing together strong results. He started with a stage win at the Tour of Valencia, then finished fourth at the UAE Tour. His stage victory at the Critérium du Dauphiné and winning the Spanish national title were the icing on the cake ahead of the main course: the Tour de France. “It’s my first Tour, my first Grand Tour,” he told CyclingUpToDate. “That alone makes it huge. The priority is to learn as much as possible. I’m only 21. I know that’s a cliché, but it’s true.”

The 9-years-older Mas will be the team’s GC rider. While team boss Eusebio Unzué said that stage wins are the number one goal, Roméo suggests otherwise. “Our big goal is to support Enric (Mas, ed.) and help him finish as high as possible in the general classification. Everything will revolve around that. Of course, if there’s a chance to get in the breakaway and go for a stage win, I’ll try. But our main goal is clear.”

So it’s somewhat of a disguised domestique role for the U23 world time trial champion. He has a race against the clock waiting for him in the first week. “In stage 5 I’ll give it everything and more. I won’t be thinking about Enric that day,” he laughed. But joking aside, he’s more than happy to sacrifice himself for his compatriot. “We worked really well together in the Dauphiné, we clicked. It’s easy to ride alongside him. We’re a bit the same, we both like having clear goals and fighting to achieve them.”

Roméo will start the Grand Départ wearing the national champion’s jersey. Last week, he won the title in Granada after an impressive solo. “I haven’t slept in it. Not yet! But it looks amazing. The team presentation was great. Wearing this jersey is another reason why this Tour is going to be so special. It brings more attention, of course, we’ll see if that’s a good thing. But I’m enjoying every moment.”

When asked to estimate his chances of a stage win, he didn’t want to be too mysterious. “I won’t dodge the question, but I can’t give a percentage. I won’t say no to the idea. If I get the chance to be in a breakaway, I’ll definitely try to win stages. I think I’ve shown that I can do it. But we’ll take it day by day. I’ll push myself in the time trial to see where I stand compared to the others. From there, we’ll see what opportunities come up.”