Calmejane wins stage 4 in Circuit de la Sarthe

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Lilian Calmejane of Direct Energie claimed a worthy solo victory atop the Monts des Avaloirs to win the queen stage of the Circuit Sarthe-Pays de la Loire and take the yellow jersey over from Alex Dowsett (Movistar) as he managed to fend off Arthur Vichot (FDJ). The ten seconds bonus awarded to the winner enabled him to lead the overall classification by seven seconds over the French champion ahead of the conclusive stage in Saint-Calais.

"The weight of the race wasn't necessarily on our shoulders today," Calmejane analyzed. "We rode the first two stages for a sprint, and Bryan Coquard won yesterday. After Movistar and FDJ dominated the time trial, it was up to them. We wanted to have someone in the breakaway and that's what happened."

U23 French road champion Paul Ourselin was the man in the move along with Nans Peters of AG2R La Mondiale, Kevin van Melsen of Wanty-Groupe Gobert, Sébastien Delfosse of WB Veranclassic, Leigh Howard of Aqua Blue Sport and Armindo Fonseca of Fortuneo-Vital Concept.

"As we reached the final circuit, I was impatient," Calmejane continued. "I told Thomas [Voeckler] I wanted to dynamite the race. I felt we'd accelerate only in the final two laps. It didn't suit me. I wanted to take risks from further out to win the stage and take the lead. I felt no pressure as I have already won this year. I wasn't interested in coming second or third. I told Thomas to jump when we were one minute down on the breakaway group. He attacked when it was hard. We managed to come across. I went solo in the second last climb. My advantage was only 30 seconds, so I doubted of my chances during the whole final lap. Luckily I had some resources left to resist. It makes my victory even sweeter."

After Calmejane went on the offensive with 35km to go, Dowsett lost contact with the group of the favourites. "But I got a lot further than I did last time [in 2014]," the Englishman told Cyclingnews. "Three years ago, I got dropped in the second lap of the final circuit. Two laps to go at the top of the last climb, it's what got me today. I did everything I could. I didn't see Calmejane attacking. I was just concentrated on holding to the wheel in front of me. I wasn't capable of any kind of acceleration. I was just trying to look after myself and try to stay in the main bunch to do the best I could. I wasn't quite good enough but on this circuit, since they introduced it, the guy who wins the time trial never wins the overall."

Luke Durbridge was the last time trial winner who managed to hold onto the yellow jersey in 2012 but the course around Pré-en-Pail – a famous check point on the route of the Paris-Brest-Paris amateur race – has become harder since. Vichot was the main threat to Calmejane but he had used his teammates earlier on. Crossing the line in sixth place, the French champion missed out on the time bonus and is now seven seconds adrift.

"This is my sixth win as a pro," added Calmejane who joined Direct Energie last year. "Stage 4 of the Vuelta a España still stands out but all victories are good to take. This one at the Circuit de la Sarthe is a magnificent one. There was a lot of emotion on the line but my main feeling was the fatigue and the relief to win. I had to dig deep today. I hope my form will continue to be as good as this till the end of April because I'm scheduled for the Ardennes classics and the Tour de Yorkshire."

Calmejane has one stage to go to win his third stage race of the year after the Etoile de Bessèges and the Settimana Coppi & Bartali. "Vichot is faster than me," he noted. "The time bonus can make him a winner tomorrow if he wins the stage and I don't make the top 3. The last stage looks lumpy on paper but not as hard as today's. A six-man team makes it hard to control but it's better to have the jersey tonight than being second. I'll defend. If I have tomorrow the same legs I had today, it should be fine."

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