Dorian Godon, the coronation of a French champion “sub-coat” but sure of his strength

It was necessary to reopen the suitcase. Make a little room. Dorian Godon leaves this Monday morning in Scotland at 10:40 am, and he will spend his vacation with a light spirit but the lowering baggage of an additional and unforeseen jersey. The 29 -year -old Lyonnais was 57 days of racing in 2025 and the latest, this Sunday in Vendée, allowed him to sign a major victory, on the online race of the French Championships.

On the podium, while a Marseillaise That he sometimes seems to hum hesitate, he is a quarter of a turn to the right to be in the axis of his team. They are all there, from young Paul Seixas to his great friend Nicolas Prodhomme, via his predecessor, Paul Lapeira, and all the rest of the supervision. Godon, who got hold of the heart and on his tricolor jersey for the first time a few seconds earlier, is addressed to the whole Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale team: “I hear nothing!” »» The applause redoubled. « Encore ! » They howl. “Stronger!” »» They run. “It’s really a great moment, Dorian deserves it a hundred times”Selves Seixas, the first floor of the three -element rocket which propelled Godon at the top of Mont des Alouettes.

Godon’s career is rich in 12 successes, including La Flèche Brabançonne in 2023, twice Paris-Camembert in 2020 and 2021 or two stages of the Tour de Romandie last year. But he does not have the status of leader at Decathlon, which has sometimes been able to frustrate him. “I often do it for the collective, I don’t have my chance all the timehe admits. I did not have my card too much on the Giro this year unfortunately. When I am given my chance, I often put the ball to the bottom. I am the only one knowing my real abilities and I have confidence in myself. Maybe I am undercoated for the general public, but from the start I felt that I had my legs to win today (Sunday). My teammates know they can count on me. When I am launched like that, nothing can happen to me. »»

Friday evening, his sports director, Julien Jurdie, explained to him that his day had perhaps happened, that he had to prepare to be the protected runner in the final in the event of arrival at the sprint. “He may not have won as much as he wanted this year, but it was a goal, he was motivated. I am sure he prefers this one or two other more victoriesbreath juridie. This jersey is a dream for everyone … “” He returned disappointed and a little frustrated by his Girorecalls his agent. But there he assured. He trusted him, he did not stress much, he really wanted this title. »»

A year ago, even a little more, Margaux, his girlfriend, had already planned and drawn: “When the route came out, I told him direct: “Oh Dorian, it’s for you!” I said to him: “You will not go around, sorry to tell yourself but on the Giro, you will not win a stage, but you will be champion of France,” she laughs on the phone. We talked about it after the Giro, he was not happy that I would remind him, but I believed in it. I told him to stop all the negative waves and I am really very happy for him that it materializes. »»

Godon explained that he was not allowed to miss, perhaps for this prognosis, but especially to reward the work of his teammates and the confidence granted. “In the last lap, and even before the last lap, he told me several times that he felt really goodSlides Prodhomme, who had launched him twice towards the victory last year, at the Tour de Romandie. When he says that, given the strength he has, saw the arrival, I knew I could trust him. “We knew it was very strong, we did not hesitate for a second and we made a train for himadmits Seixas. This is the dream scenario. »»

“Heat, he doesn’t like it too much, however”says Didier Jannel, one of the sports directors of Decathlon, while everyone is overwhelming under a burning sun. Heat was an important factor in this online race and Godon was able to overcome this test. “But he went to make the road to Occitanie this month, he worked on this”add Jannel. “At the foot of the Tourmalet, I was one of the first to fart. I had complicated moments there, confirms Godon. I don’t like heat. Usually, a race like today (Sunday), I suffer. But there, no. I was able to acclimatize. I live in Girona (Spain) And, lately, I was going to roll from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., in the middle of a cagnard, more than 38 degrees, it was really not pleasant. I stopped every half hour to fill the cans. But today it served me … ” Younger, he also didn’t like circuit races with overrepresented training. Three things erased.

The tricolor jersey will not be starting from the Tour de France in Lille on July 5. But Sunday evening, Godon showed no disappointment. “There, I just need a vacationhe claims. I did 57 days of racing and we are in June. In July, I’m just going to enjoy. I go to a road trip, it will do me good to cut. I need a reset. »» Brittany Classic, August 31, and the GP of Montreal, on September 12, will be its next big objectives.

By then, his future will surely be officially clarified. As indicated Thursday on our site, the Lyonnais should join the ranks of INEOS. The extension with Decathlon, the training he had joined in 2019, stuck on too far wage positions. The Savoyard team would lose a French champion there, but also a lover of school jokes at each meal and the music attendant in the bus before heating. The opportunity to learn for good the lyrics of the Marseillaise.