"Toughest period of my career" comes to an end for Laporte with a message of hope: "I just want to feel good again"

In fact, “It was the most difficult period of my career,” Laporte told Bici.Pro. The inactivity in the spring drove him crazy: he missed his beloved classics. “I didn't understand what was wrong with me; my body wasn't responding. Every time I tried to increase the load, the fatigue and pain returned. I had no energy, no self-confidence.”

At the time, it wasn't entirely clear what was wrong, but eventually the Frenchman was diagnosed with cytomegalovirus. It meant he had to start all over again, and that meant no Tour de France. That was very hard for him, as he would have liked to support his teammates. But it took a while before he could make his comeback.

It wasn't until the ADAC Cyclassics in mid-August that Laporte returned to the peloton. And then it took another month and a half before we saw him again at the front. With third place in Binche-Chimay-Binche, a race he won in 2022, the first step had been taken, but with second place in Paris-Tours - where he was the defending champion - he really showed his top form again.

It was a second place with more meaning than usual. “When you finish second or third, there's always a bit of disappointment,” says the speedy Frenchman. “But this time it was different. This time, I can look back on my race with satisfaction. I was isolated in the final, but I was able to respond well to the breakaways. In the end, I decided to go forward, and we managed to close the gap.”

This allowed him to compete for the victory, but he was beaten by Italian veteran Matteo Trentin (Tudor). In the sprint, it became clear that Laporte is still not quite back to his old self. “During the sprint, I felt cramps coming on and couldn't go any faster, so I had to sprint sitting down. I gave it my all, but Matteo was just stronger. I'm happy with my form this fall.”

That fall will continue for a while, because Laporte is currently riding in the Netherlands at the Tour of Holland. He got off to an excellent start with a fourth place in the prologue, and he has a chance of winning the overall if he performs well in the coming difficult days. But his focus is elsewhere at the moment. “Right now, I just want to feel good, do my job, and ride races.”

Such a terrible year puts the rest of your career and work into perspective. "Every day in the saddle brings me closer to the level I feel I should be at. After everything I've been through, just being able to fight for a podium place again is a victory in itself. Now, looking ahead to next year, it's important to race and be consistent."