Amandine claims bacj her title in Pontchâteau and Clément wins a 7th title at the French CX Nationals

Race reportJan 12, 2025

World Team TeamWomen TeamDevelopment TeamChampionnats de France - Pontchateau (CX)

The eagerly-awaited 2025 French Cyclo-cross Championships lived up to their promise. Amandine Fouquenet and Clément Venturini won on the Coët-Roz circuit in Ponchâteau.

Amandine Fouquenet

When I was crowned champion here in 2021, I wasn't expected to win at all. It was a bit of a surprise, whereas this year, like my competitors, I had the status of favourite. I had to accept that, and that makes me happy to win. The last lap was quite close and hard-fought. I managed to open up a gap, but my rivals managed to come back on me in the final. I believed in myself, but during the sprint I started to have doubts. But as I went into the sprint in the lead, I had no choice but to go for it. That was the right strategy. I'm delighted with this win, it's a great victory. I was under pressure to get a result, but I was able to handle it and come out on top. I'm over the moon. I had my doubts in the sprint against Célia Géry because I know she's fast. The French Championships were a physical and psychological battle. I was there physically. After that, tactics at a National Championship are always different from other events. Maybe I attacked too hard from the start. I needed a breather. Hélène Clauzel attacked, and at one point I kept a bit more under the pedal. That enabled me to finish well on the last lap, and bring home victory for the ARKEA-B&B HOTELS team.

Clément Venturini

This 7th success in a French Cyclo-cross Championship, paradoxical though it may seem given the number I've already won, is a great relief. In 2024, I joined the ARKEA-B&B HOTELS team, and the title was contested on Breton soil, which is also that of Emmanuel Hubert's team. I was under a lot of pressure there. This year I haven't had the results I'd hoped for in the last few cyclo-crosses, and it's been far from easy. ARKEA-B&B HOTELS puts a lot of faith in the cyclo-cross discipline. This success is a just reward for our partners and Emmanuel Hubert. Pontchâteau means a lot to me, I have great memories here. I wanted to do my race. My heart was in my throat at the start. I thought about my wife and my soon-to-be-born son, and the last few laps were a bit for her and for him.

Emmanuel Hubert

General Manager

Cyclo-cross is a discipline that offers a great media showcase during the winter period for a professional cycling team, and when the French Championships come around, it gives the ARKEA-B&B HOTELS team the opportunity to aim for the best performances in the elite women's and men's events, with Clément Venturini and Amandine Fouquenet. Pontchâteau 2025 and this magnificent French Championship has fulfilled our wildest dreams with two titles for our partners, ARKEA and B&B HOTELS. This is a very happy moment for all of us and it also allows us to start the 2025 season under the best possible auspices for both men and women. The cyclo-crossmen and our cyclo-crosswoman have opened the 2025 season in the best possible way, now it's up to the road racers to take over.

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