Galimzyanov strikes in Sarthe sprint

Katusha's Denis Galimzyanov has put an end to the dark part of his 2012 season as he scored his first win in Riaillé at the end of stage 1 of the Circuit de la Sarthe-Pays de la Loire. It was a bunch gallop in which runner up Sacha Modolo of Colnago-CSF and Juan José Haedo could only admire the back wheel of the Russian.

It was the first win of the season for the 25-year-old who turned heads last year with sprint victories in the Three Days of De Panne, Tour of Luxembourg, Paris - Bruxelles and the Tour of Beijing.

"We've had one of our riders in the front all day," described Galimzyanov in reference to Mikhail Ignatiev who got a maximum lead of ten minutes with eventual king of the mountain Arnaud Courteille (FDJ-BiigMat) and best young rider Benoît Jarrier (Vérandas Rideau). Jarrier hails from the Sarthe province and his father is a member of the organizing committee of the race.

Ignatiev persisted solo on the final circuit in Riaillé. He had an advantage of 1:40 at bell lap with 12.5km to go, but got caught just before the red kite.

"We took the command of the race straight away," Galimzyanov continued. "From 1km to go to the 500 metres mark, Pavel Brutt put the peloton in one line on the left side of the road because the wind was blowing from the right, then Maxim Belkov took over until Haedo started sprinting. When I saw that, I jumped. I won with an advantage of one length of a bike, it's a good one!"

Galimzyanov seemed relieved and explained why. "I started the season pretty well with second places at the Tour of Qatar and the Tour of Oman," he recalled. "But when I returned from Oman to Europe, I got sick. I had fever for three days. I had to take antibiotics for ten days. It put me down physically.

"Initially, my goal was to perform at Ghent-Wevelgem and the Three Days of De Panne but I didn't make it to Belgium with the appropriate condition, so I rode De Panne as a helper for our Norwegian rider Alexander Kristoff who had the leader's jersey and won a stage, but I wasn't able to win myself. I'm hungry to win! Today is the victory that I have been waiting for."

 "This is an important year for me because it's an Olympic year. When I turned pro with Katusha three years ago, I was told that I was on a program for London 2012 because the road race at the Olympics is for sprinters this year."

At the age of 25, he seems to know exactly the environment in which he has to perform. "This is my first time at the Circuit de la Sarthe," he said. "I didn't know the race but it's a nice one. We started from the sea and it was beautiful. The roads are good and we race with no stress. It's perfect to prepare for further goals.

"I'm well aware that a sprinter won the overall classification here last year but Daniele Bennati is more than a sprinter. He can time trial and he climb as well. I'm a 100% sprinter! However, I've noticed that the time trial tomorrow is short, only 6.8km. This year we have great time trial bikes with fantastic wheels, so I'll give it a go like Bennati did last year."

The second day of the race features two stages with a short time trial in Angers for which specialists Luke Durbridge of GreenEdge and Garmin-Barracuda's David Zabriskie will face the competition of some sprinters against the clock.

Full Results

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#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Denis Galimzyanov (Rus) Katusha Team4:49:24
2Sacha Modolo (Ita) Colnago - CSF BardianiRow 1 - Cell 2
3Juan Jose Haedo (Arg) Team Saxo BankRow 2 - Cell 2
4Matteo Pelucchi (Ita) Team EuropcarRow 3 - Cell 2
5Francisco Ventoso (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 4 - Cell 2
6Raymond Kreder (Ned) Garmin-BarracudaRow 5 - Cell 2
7Daniele Colli (Ita) Team Type 1 - SanofiRow 6 - Cell 2
8Justin Jules (Fra) Veranda Rideau-Super URow 7 - Cell 2
9Steven Caethoven (Bel) Accent Jobs - Willems Veranda'sRow 8 - Cell 2
10Nacer Bouhanni (Fra) FDJ-Big MatRow 9 - Cell 2
11Romain Matheou (Fra) Veranda Rideau-Super URow 10 - Cell 2
12Michel Kreder (Ned) Garmin-BarracudaRow 11 - Cell 2
13Jimmy Engoulvent (Fra) Saur - SojasunRow 12 - Cell 2
14Daniel Teklehayanot (Eri) GreenEdge Cycling TeamRow 13 - Cell 2
15Ben Hermans (Bel) RadioShack-NissanRow 14 - Cell 2
16Thierry Hupond (Fra) Argos-ShimanoRow 15 - Cell 2
17Samuel Dumoulin (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit en LigneRow 16 - Cell 2
18Fabien Bacquet (Fra) Auber 93Row 17 - Cell 2
19Sonny Colbrelli (Ita) Colnago - CSF InoxRow 18 - Cell 2
20Florian Vachon (Fra) Bretagne - SchullerRow 19 - Cell 2
21Alexandre Geniez (Fra) Argos-ShimanoRow 20 - Cell 2
22Jimmy Casper (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 21 - Cell 2
23Kevin Denis (Fra) Veranda Rideau-Super URow 22 - Cell 2
24Romain Zingle (Bel) Cofidis, Le Credit en LigneRow 23 - Cell 2
25Nelson Oliveira (Por) RadioShack-NissanRow 24 - Cell 2
26Matthieu Sprick (Fra) Argos-ShimanoRow 25 - Cell 2
27Mathieu Halleguen (Fra) Bretagne - SchullerRow 26 - Cell 2
28Ruben Plaza (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 27 - Cell 2
29Jonathan Thire (Fra) Auber 93Row 28 - Cell 2
30Jan Bakelants (Bel) RadioShack-NissanRow 29 - Cell 2
31David Tanner (Aus) Team Saxo BankRow 30 - Cell 2
32Marco Coledan (Ita) Colnago - CSF InoxRow 31 - Cell 2
33Brett Lancaster (Aus) GreenEdge Cycling TeamRow 32 - Cell 2
34Sébastien Rossler (Bel) Garmin-BarracudaRow 33 - Cell 2
35Anthony Delaplace (Fra) Saur - SojasunRow 34 - Cell 2
36Nicolas Edet (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit en LigneRow 35 - Cell 2
37Freddy Bichot (Fra) Veranda Rideau-Super URow 36 - Cell 2
38Nicolas Rousseau (Fra) Auber 93Row 37 - Cell 2
39Ignatas Konovalovas (Ltu) Movistar TeamRow 38 - Cell 2
40Benoît Jarrier (Fra) Veranda Rideau-Super URow 39 - Cell 2
41Oleg Chuzhda (Ukr) Accent Jobs - Willems Veranda'sRow 40 - Cell 2
42Julien Berard (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 41 - Cell 2
43Geoffroy Lequatre (Fra) Bretagne - SchullerRow 42 - Cell 2
44Pratick Gretsch (Ger) Argos-ShimanoRow 43 - Cell 2
45Julien El Fares (Fra) Team Type 1 - SanofiRow 44 - Cell 2
46Alexander Efimkin (Rus) Team Type 1 - SanofiRow 45 - Cell 2
47Anthony Geslin (Fra) FDJ-Big MatRow 46 - Cell 2
48David Zabriskie (USA) Garmin-BarracudaRow 47 - Cell 2
49Jure Kocjan (Slo) Team Type 1 - SanofiRow 48 - Cell 2
50Luke Durbridge (Aus) GreenEdge Cycling TeamRow 49 - Cell 2
51Christophe Kern (Fra) Team EuropcarRow 50 - Cell 2
52Jonathan Castroviejo (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 51 - Cell 2
53Rudy Molard (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit en LigneRow 52 - Cell 2
54Mikhail Ignatyev (Rus) Katusha TeamRow 53 - Cell 2
55Martijn Verschoor (Ned) Team Type 1 - SanofiRow 54 - Cell 2
56Petr Ignatenko (Rus) Katusha TeamRow 55 - Cell 2
57Steven Tronet (Fra) Auber 93Row 56 - Cell 2
58Laurent Didier (Lux) RadioShack-NissanRow 57 - Cell 2
59Andrew Talansky (USA) Garmin-BarracudaRow 58 - Cell 2
60Martin Elmiger (Swi) AG2R La MondialeRow 59 - Cell 2
61Manuele Boaro (Ita) Team Saxo BankRow 60 - Cell 2
62Thomas Dekker (Ned) Garmin-BarracudaRow 61 - Cell 2
63David Le Lay (Fra) Saur - SojasunRow 62 - Cell 2
64Brice Feillu (Fra) Saur - SojasunRow 63 - Cell 2
65Mathieu Drujon (Fra) Auber 93Row 64 - Cell 2
66Andréa Pasqualon (Ita) Colnago - CSF InoxRow 65 - Cell 2
67Pierre Rolland (Fra) Team EuropcarRow 66 - Cell 2
68Denis Menchov (Rus) Katusha TeamRow 67 - Cell 2
69Arnaud Gerard (Fra) FDJ-Big MatRow 68 - Cell 2
70Jurgen Van Goolen (Bel) Accent Jobs - Willems Veranda'sRow 69 - Cell 2
71Ronan Racault (Fra) Auber 93Row 70 - Cell 2
72Sébastien Duret (Fra) Bretagne - SchullerRow 71 - Cell 2
73Event Verbist (Bel) Accent Jobs - Willems Veranda'sRow 72 - Cell 2
74Johannes Frohlinger (Ger) Argos-ShimanoRow 73 - Cell 2
75Wim De Voght (Bel) Accent Jobs - Willems Veranda'sRow 74 - Cell 2
76Takashi Miyazawa (Jpn) Team Saxo BankRow 75 - Cell 2
77Andy Schleck (Lux) RadioShack-NissanRow 76 - Cell 2
78George Bennett (NZl) RadioShack-NissanRow 77 - Cell 2
79Vladimir Karpets (Rus) Movistar TeamRow 78 - Cell 2
80Amir Zargari (IRI) AG2R La MondialeRow 79 - Cell 2
81Pierrick Fedrigo (Fra) FDJ-Big MatRow 80 - Cell 2
82Arnaud Courteille (Fra) FDJ-Big MatRow 81 - Cell 2
83Johan Le Bon (Fra) Bretagne - SchullerRow 82 - Cell 2
84Remi Cusin (Fra) Team Type 1 - SanofiRow 83 - Cell 2
85Volodymir Gustov (Ukr) Team Saxo BankRow 84 - Cell 2
86Jesus Herrada (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 85 - Cell 2
87Rafaa Chtioui (Tun) Team EuropcarRow 86 - Cell 2
88Omar Lombardi (Ita) Colnago - CSF InoxRow 87 - Cell 2
89Cyril Gautier (Fra) Team EuropcarRow 88 - Cell 2
90Franck Vermeulen (Fra) Veranda Rideau-Super URow 89 - Cell 2
91Paul Poux (Fra) Saur - SojasunRow 90 - Cell 2
92Matthew Wilson (Aus) GreenEdge Cycling TeamRow 91 - Cell 2
93Mathieu Perget (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 92 - Cell 2
94Andrea Di Corrado (Ita) Colnago - CSF InoxRow 93 - Cell 2
95Tristan Valentin (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit en LigneRow 94 - Cell 2
96Pieter Weening (Ned) GreenEdge Cycling TeamRow 95 - Cell 2
97Sylvain Georges (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 96 - Cell 2
98Thomas Voeckler (Fra) Team EuropcarRow 97 - Cell 2
99Pavel Brutt (Rus) Katusha TeamRow 98 - Cell 2
100Maxim Belkov (Rus) Katusha TeamRow 99 - Cell 2
101Françis Mourey (Fra) FDJ-Big MatRow 100 - Cell 2
102Grégory Habeaux (Bel) Accent Jobs - Willems Veranda'sRow 101 - Cell 2
103Mickael Buffaz (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit en Ligne0:00:56
104Romain Hardy (Fra) Bretagne - SchullerRow 103 - Cell 2
105Thomas Damuseau (Fra) Argos-Shimano0:04:57
DNFJonathan Hivert (Fra) Saur - SojasunRow 105 - Cell 2
Swipe to scroll horizontally
General classification after stage 1
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1)Denis Galimzyanov (Rus) Katusha Team4:49:14
2)Benoît Jarrier (Fra) Veranda Rideau-Super U0:00:02
3)Sacha Modolo (Ita) Colnago - CSF Inox0:00:04
4)Mikhail Ignatyev (Rus) Katusha TeamRow 3 - Cell 2
5)Juan Jose Haedo (Arg) Team Saxo Bank0:00:06
6)Arnaud Courteille (Fra) FDJ-Big MatRow 5 - Cell 2
7)Matteo Pelucchi (Ita) Team Europcar0:00:10
8)Francisco Ventoso (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 7 - Cell 2
9)Raymond Kreder (Ned) Garmin-BarracudaRow 8 - Cell 2
10)Daniele Colli (Ita) Team Type 1 - SanofiRow 9 - Cell 2
11)Justin Jules (Fra) Veranda Rideau-Super URow 10 - Cell 2
12)Steven Caethoven (Bel) Accent Jobs - Willems Veranda'sRow 11 - Cell 2
13)Nacer Bouhanni (Fra) FDJ-Big MatRow 12 - Cell 2
14)Romain Matheou (Fra) Veranda Rideau-Super URow 13 - Cell 2
15)Michel Kreder (Ned) Garmin-BarracudaRow 14 - Cell 2
16)Jimmy Engoulvent (Fra) Saur - SojasunRow 15 - Cell 2
17)Daniel Teklehayanot (Eri) GreenEdge Cycling TeamRow 16 - Cell 2
18)Ben Hermans (Bel) RadioShack-NissanRow 17 - Cell 2
19)Thierry Hupond (Fra) Argos-ShimanoRow 18 - Cell 2
20)Samuel Dumoulin (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit en LigneRow 19 - Cell 2
21)Fabien Bacquet (Fra) Auber 93Row 20 - Cell 2
22)Sonny Colbrelli (Ita) Colnago - CSF InoxRow 21 - Cell 2
23)Florian Vachon (Fra) Bretagne - SchullerRow 22 - Cell 2
24)Alexandre Geniez (Fra) Argos-ShimanoRow 23 - Cell 2
25)Jimmy Casper (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 24 - Cell 2
26)Kevin Denis (Fra) Veranda Rideau-Super URow 25 - Cell 2
27)Romain Zingle (Bel) Cofidis, Le Credit en LigneRow 26 - Cell 2
28)Nelson Oliveira (Por) RadioShack-NissanRow 27 - Cell 2
29)Matthieu Sprick (Fra) Argos-ShimanoRow 28 - Cell 2
30)Mathieu Halleguen (Fra) Bretagne - SchullerRow 29 - Cell 2
31)Ruben Plaza (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 30 - Cell 2
32)Jonathan Thire (Fra) Auber 93Row 31 - Cell 2
33)Jan Bakelants (Bel) RadioShack-NissanRow 32 - Cell 2
34)David Tanner (Aus) Team Saxo BankRow 33 - Cell 2
35)Marco Coledan (Ita) Colnago - CSF InoxRow 34 - Cell 2
36)Brett Lancaster (Aus) GreenEdge Cycling TeamRow 35 - Cell 2
37)Sébastien Rossler (Bel) Garmin-BarracudaRow 36 - Cell 2
38)Anthony Delaplace (Fra) Saur - SojasunRow 37 - Cell 2
39)Nicolas Edet (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit en LigneRow 38 - Cell 2
40)Freddy Bichot (Fra) Veranda Rideau-Super URow 39 - Cell 2
41)Nicolas Rousseau (Fra) Auber 93Row 40 - Cell 2
42)Ignatas Konovalovas (Ltu) Movistar TeamRow 41 - Cell 2
43)Oleg Chuzhda (Ukr) Accent Jobs - Willems Veranda'sRow 42 - Cell 2
44)Julien Berard (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 43 - Cell 2
45)Geoffroy Lequatre (Fra) Bretagne - SchullerRow 44 - Cell 2
46)Pratick Gretsch (Ger) Argos-ShimanoRow 45 - Cell 2
47)Julien El Fares (Fra) Team Type 1 - SanofiRow 46 - Cell 2
48)Alexander Efimkin (Rus) Team Type 1 - SanofiRow 47 - Cell 2
49)Anthony Geslin (Fra) FDJ-Big MatRow 48 - Cell 2
50)David Zabriskie (USA) Garmin-BarracudaRow 49 - Cell 2
51)Jure Kocjan (Slo) Team Type 1 - SanofiRow 50 - Cell 2
52)Luke Durbridge (Aus) GreenEdge Cycling TeamRow 51 - Cell 2
53)Christophe Kern (Fra) Team EuropcarRow 52 - Cell 2
54)Jonathan Castroviejo (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 53 - Cell 2
55)Rudy Molard (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit en LigneRow 54 - Cell 2
56)Martijn Verschoor (Ned) Team Type 1 - SanofiRow 55 - Cell 2
57)Petr Ignatenko (Rus) Katusha TeamRow 56 - Cell 2
58)Steven Tronet (Fra) Auber 93Row 57 - Cell 2
59)Laurent Didier (Lux) RadioShack-NissanRow 58 - Cell 2
60)Andrew Talansky (USA) Garmin-BarracudaRow 59 - Cell 2
61)Martin Elmiger (Swi) AG2R La MondialeRow 60 - Cell 2
62)Manuele Boaro (Ita) Team Saxo BankRow 61 - Cell 2
63)Thomas Dekker (Ned) Garmin-BarracudaRow 62 - Cell 2
64)David Le Lay (Fra) Saur - SojasunRow 63 - Cell 2
65)Brice Feillu (Fra) Saur - SojasunRow 64 - Cell 2
66)Mathieu Drujon (Fra) Auber 93Row 65 - Cell 2
67)Andréa Pasqualon (Ita) Colnago - CSF InoxRow 66 - Cell 2
68)Pierre Rolland (Fra) Team EuropcarRow 67 - Cell 2
69)Denis Menchov (Rus) Katusha TeamRow 68 - Cell 2
70)Arnaud Gerard (Fra) FDJ-Big MatRow 69 - Cell 2
71)Jurgen Van Goolen (Bel) Accent Jobs - Willems Veranda'sRow 70 - Cell 2
72)Ronan Racault (Fra) Auber 93Row 71 - Cell 2
73)Sébastien Duret (Fra) Bretagne - SchullerRow 72 - Cell 2
74)Event Verbist (Bel) Accent Jobs - Willems Veranda'sRow 73 - Cell 2
75)Johannes Frohlinger (Ger) Argos-ShimanoRow 74 - Cell 2
76)Wim De Voght (Bel) Accent Jobs - Willems Veranda'sRow 75 - Cell 2
77)Takashi Miyazawa (Jpn) Team Saxo BankRow 76 - Cell 2
78)Andy Schleck (Lux) RadioShack-NissanRow 77 - Cell 2
79)George Bennett (NZl) RadioShack-NissanRow 78 - Cell 2
80)Vladimir Karpets (Rus) Movistar TeamRow 79 - Cell 2
81)Amir Zargari (IRI) AG2R La MondialeRow 80 - Cell 2
82)Pierrick Fedrigo (Fra) FDJ-Big MatRow 81 - Cell 2
83)Johan Le Bon (Fra) Bretagne - SchullerRow 82 - Cell 2
84)Remi Cusin (Fra) Team Type 1 - SanofiRow 83 - Cell 2
85)Volodymir Gustov (Ukr) Team Saxo BankRow 84 - Cell 2
86)Jesus Herrada (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 85 - Cell 2
87)Rafaa Chtioui (Tun) Team EuropcarRow 86 - Cell 2
88)Omar Lombardi (Ita) Colnago - CSF InoxRow 87 - Cell 2
89)Cyril Gautier (Fra) Team EuropcarRow 88 - Cell 2
90)Franck Vermeulen (Fra) Veranda Rideau-Super URow 89 - Cell 2
91)Paul Poux (Fra) Saur - SojasunRow 90 - Cell 2
92)Matthew Wilson (Aus) GreenEdge Cycling TeamRow 91 - Cell 2
93)Mathieu Perget (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 92 - Cell 2
94)Andrea Di Corrado (Ita) Colnago - CSF InoxRow 93 - Cell 2
95)Tristan Valentin (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit en LigneRow 94 - Cell 2
96)Pieter Weening (Ned) GreenEdge Cycling TeamRow 95 - Cell 2
97)Sylvain Georges (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 96 - Cell 2
98)Thomas Voeckler (Fra) Team EuropcarRow 97 - Cell 2
99)Pavel Brutt (Rus) Katusha TeamRow 98 - Cell 2
100Maxim Belkov (Rus) Katusha TeamRow 99 - Cell 2
101Françis Mourey (Fra) FDJ-Big MatRow 100 - Cell 2
102Grégory Habeaux (Bel) Accent Jobs - Willems Veranda'sRow 101 - Cell 2
103Romain Hardy (Fra) Bretagne - SchullerRow 102 - Cell 2
104Mickael Buffaz (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit en Ligne0:01:06
105Thomas Damuseau (Fra) Argos-Shimano0:05:07

 

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