How Louis Barré reached a new level with Intermarché-Wanty: a winning combination

Louis Barré has reached a remarkable milestone since joining Intermarché-Wanty. This progress was further confirmed during his first Critérium du Dauphiné, with new benchmark performances in the mountains and time trials, as well as his first World Tour podium.

For 2025, the 25-year-old from Nantes chose to leave his French environment to join the Belgian team of Jean-François Bourlart. It was a worthwhile choice, notably based on his new preparation framework with a well-thought-out performance plan tailored to his puncher profile, focusing on his strengths and mastering all aspects of performance.

Concluding a collective altitude training camp in Andorra in early June, Barré immediately reaped the benefits at the Dauphiné, fighting for the stage victory on the third day towards Charantonnay. Finishing third, he climbed onto the podium of a World Tour race for the very first time, and had the honor of wearing the white jersey for the best young rider the next day for the time trial.

With the 35th best time in the time trial won by Remco Evenepoel, Louis Barré shattered his benchmark performance in a time trial since turning professional. He began the long Alpine weekend in ninth position overall, a ranking he further improved the next day after the finish climb to Combloux, where he crossed the line in eighth position, two minutes behind Tadej Pogačar and one minute behind Jonas Vingegaard.

Buoyed by these new achievements, which add to those from the Amstel Gold Race and the Tour de Romandie, Louis Barré now has his sights set on his highly anticipated debut at the Tour de France. His final three weeks of preparation include the Giro dell’Appennino on Tuesday 24th of June, followed by the French Championships on the hilly course of Les Herbiers on Sunday 29th of June.

"The most significant factor in my progress this season is undoubtedly the race calendar established with the team, which is perfectly suited to my profile. When I was looking for a change of scenery in 2024, Intermarché-Wanty was the only team to offer me a clear, personalized program, even including a first Tour de France and a real vision for my future. They immediately put their trust in me, giving me a leadership role in tough classics and a stage hunter role in multi-day races. I'm very satisfied that I seized this great opportunity with Intermarché-Wanty, as I've been reaping the rewards since my very first races of the year." "After a first part of the season focused on hilly classics, I joined the team on an altitude training camp in Andorra. It was the first time I prepared competition on altitude, so I approached the Dauphiné without pressure to perform. In the end I felt good and was even able to participate in the fight for a stage win on the third day. My top 10 in the general classification after the time trial was a pleasant surprise. I also enjoyed the Combloux stage with a 15- to 20-minute effort on the climb to the finish, ideal for my puncher profile. The next day, I kept up well on the Col de la Madeleine alongside the favorites, all the way to the top of the subsequent Col de la Croix de Fer. It was an excellent test, as I had never raced in the high mountains before." "This season has been full of new experiences so far, which has allowed me to improve in several areas and even achieve results in races that aren't perfectly suited to me, like my podium finish at Paris-Camembert. This winter I strongly increased my focus on nutrition, with the daily input of our sports dietitian Astrid Roekens. I also feel powerful on my Cube Litening C:68X, as we found a perfect balance between comfort and aerodynamics in a bike fitting. My best time trial performance at the Dauphiné is the result of the investments made with the team this winter in terms of equipment. We conducted very meticulous aerodynamic tests on the track, and even developed a custom handlebar with Cube. We also did multiple sessions on the time trial bike during our altitude training camp. Seeing the results of these efforts motivates me enormously to continue in this direction." "I pushed myself hard in the heat during that week at the Critérium du Dauphiné, where every stage was high-intensity. That's why my trainer Frederik Veuchelen and I have planned a recovery period and heat training sessions on rollers to extend the benefits of our altitude camp. This will allow me to fully capitalize on my form for the Giro dell'Appennino, the French Championships, and then arrive completely ready for the start of my first Tour de France. I can't wait!"

“Last winter, we embarked on a true journey of discovery with Louis Barré. Many aspects of our performance plan were completely new to him: a well-structured altitude training camp, his first high-mountain races, our aerodynamic tests on the velodrome, and his debuts at the Dauphiné and the Tour de France. Our approach proved to be a winning combination for him, with new training stimuli, increased attention to nutrition, and excellent equipment support. Our integrated periodization method, built into Louis's personalized annual program, marked a crucial change for him both physically and mentally.” “This is evident in his results, but also in his performances that weren't immediately reflected in the rankings. I'm thinking, for example, of his climb of La Redoute at Liège-Bastogne-Liège. He made the fastest ascent behind Tadej Pogačar to correct his poor positioning at the bottom. His power and duration profile shows that he excels in medium-duration efforts. That's why his efforts in preparation for the Tour de France are focused on stage victories, as he brilliantly demonstrated at the Dauphiné. The Tour will also be an important step in his development, as he has never raced for more than ten days until now. We hope he will continue to surprise us, as we are certainly not yet at the end of his progression.”

RESULTS

General Classification

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