Dumoulin joins Greipel as world's most winning pro cyclist

As he won stage 4 in the Circuit de la Sarthe-Pays de la Loire with a bunch gallop, Samuel Dumoulin scored for the sixth time in the 2010 season. The victory gave him a tally to match André Greipel (HTC - Columbia) as the world's most successful pro cyclists since the beginning of the current season.

The Frenchman was one of the very first winners of 2010 with a stage 1 victory at the Tropicale Amissa-Bongo in Gabon in January. He remained competitive in February as he claimed stage 3 and the overall classification of the Etoile de Bessèges. Then, he put a one-day race under his belt as well with the GP Insubria in Switzerland. In March, he took stage 6 of the Volta Catalunya. In April, he seems to still be at the top of his form.

"In a false flat uphill finish, I've won every time this year," Dumoulin said. "I prefer a stage like today's with hills and battles that make the peloton very tired before the bunch sprint finish. This is exactly the kind of scenario that suits me the most. My teammates have participated with the chase of Thomas Voeckler, especially Sébastien Minard. Rémi Cusin led me out and delivered me with 200 metres to go. The staff is also doing a good job this year."

Dumoulin stands at 1.59m tall. That makes him the smallest pro rider, but a valuable one, too. "I struggle to be recognised though," he observed. "I am hardly seen and I don't make an impression. I've been a pro for nine years, and I've always won races, but this year I'm winning more."

His previous record for wins in a season was four. In 2010 so far, he's up to six. Dumoulin was a Tour de France stage winner in 2008 in Nantes.

"Next week I'll take part in three French Cup races: Paris-Camembert, Tour du Finistère and Tro Bro Leon. Then I'll take a break and go to the Tour of Picardie and the Tour of Belgium to prepare for the great races to come later, which are the Dauphiné, the French Championship and the Tour de France," said the Cofidis rider. Dumoulin has never kept it a mystery that his dream is to become national champion.