“Inevitably, we have a particular proximity”, Valentin and Aurélien Paret-Peintre, of the opponent brothers

The brothers Aurélien and Valentin Paret-Peintre will meet for the first time on the same Tour de France, from July 5 to 27. The Haut-Savoyards will be adversaries, while they run for two different formations, but admit a “benevolent” opposition.

There were the Pélissier brothers, Schleck or even more recently the Yates siblings. The Tour de France is frequently a family story. And this year, this story will be written by the Paret-Peintre brothers.

Valentin and Aurélien will play, for the first time in their career, the big loop in the same peloton. But not within the same team. Aurélien, the 29-year-old elder, remained faithful to the colors of Decathlon-Ag2r La Mondiale.

Her 24-year-old little brother was also trained by the Savoyard team, before joining the Belgians from Sudal Quick-Step to support his leader, Remco Evenepoel, in mountain stages.

The decor is planted: the two brothers will find themselves on the big loop. To better compete? Not according to Aurélien, the big brother. “It is always going well. His departure (from Decathlon-Ag2r La Mondiale) has not changed much. Admittedly, we find ourselves a little opposite in the peloton, but it is a good-child opposition. It is always with respect. Everyone must do their job”he explained on the sidelines of the Critérium du Dauphiné.

“Inevitably, we have a particular proximity. We have constraints on the part of our teams during the race, but we are not going to put ourselves sticks in the wheels. There is mutual aid, as between certain French players. Everything happens in benevolence”continues the one who will participate for the fourth time in the Tour de France.

Valentin will taste the atmosphere for the first time in the largest cycling race in the world. And he already sees himself completing the loop with his brother: “To happen both in Paris, it would be really exceptional”he also lets go on the sidelines of the Critérium du Dauphiné.

For him, the presence of his brother brings only positive: “It’s always the same in the peloton. We laugh. We may speak a little more during the race since we don’t see each other at the hotel in the evening. But every day, we chat a little about what we are going to do. Sometimes we find ourselves in the final. We try not to push ourselves, but sometimes, we don’t have too much choice.”

The time for a pre-cour, the two Haut-Savoyards lent themselves to a cross portrait. For Valentin, his big brother “is a very complete person. He has done 16th by Flanders’s turn this year. He’s fast in the sprint. But we will see if he has not lost his climber qualities”.

For Aurélien, his youngest “is a pure climber. He is a good mountain attacker when there are strong percentages. His weight allows him to have some ease in the high odds.” The leader of Sudal Quick-Step, Remco Evenepoel, approves: “He is a very nice, always calm and relaxed person. He always has a smile so, for the group, it’s important. He climbs well, he goes well. We communicate well, everything goes well between us.” A good omen for this Tour de France.

Tour de France 2025

Of July 5
au July 27, 2025