Bouhanni wins French championships in bunch sprint

Nacer Bouhanni swooped fast and last to overtake his FDJ-BigMat teammate and fellow neo pro Arnaud Demare in the shadow of the winning line to secure the biggest win of his career and continue the rapid progress he has made this season.

The 21-year-old from Epinal won the overall title at the Circuit de Lorraine earlier in the season and proved his versatility by prevailing in a mass sprint in atrocious conditions in Saint-Amand-les-Eaux on the French/Belgian border.

The result proves that the future of French cycling is in rude health, with Demare even younger than his conqueror at the age of just 20. He looked to have secured the victory with a finishing burst with less than 300 metres to go, which left initial attacker Jimmy Casper (AG2R-LaMondiale) floundering, but Bouhanni was tracking Demare all the way and clinched the title with a well-timed burst that broke the heart of his younger rival.

The 256km course took its toll on the field, which came home in several groups. The wind and rain that marred the majority of the northern European national championships certainly left its mark, with 56 riders abandoning.

With last year’s winner Sylvain Chavanel finishing well of the pace in 62nd position and 2010 champion Thomas Voeckler unable to defend his crown because of injury the race looked wide open. In the end the two youngsters fought out the finish, finishing ahead of Adrien Petit (Cofidis), Denis Flahaut (Roubaix Lille Metropole) and Sebastien Turgot (Europcar).

Results

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#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Nacer Bouhanni (FDJ-BigMat)5:42:43
2Arnaud Demare (FDJ-BigMat)Row 1 - Cell 2
3Adrien Petit (Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne)Row 2 - Cell 2
4Denis Flahaut (Roubaix Lille Metropole)Row 3 - Cell 2
5Sébastien Turgot (Team Europcar)Row 4 - Cell 2
6Jimmy Casper (Ag2R La Mondiale)Row 5 - Cell 2
7Fabien Bacquet (Auber 93)Row 6 - Cell 2
8Romain Feillu (Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling Team)Row 7 - Cell 2
9Julien Simon (Saur-Sojasun)Row 8 - Cell 2
10Maxime Le Montagner (Veranda Rideau-Super U)Row 9 - Cell 2
11Samuel Dumoulin (Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne)Row 10 - Cell 2
12Saïd Haddou (Team Europcar)0:00:02
13Mathieu Drujon (Auber 93)Row 12 - Cell 2
14Alexandre Blain (Endura Racing)Row 13 - Cell 2
15Justin Jules (Veranda Rideau-Super U)Row 14 - Cell 2
16Fabien Schmidt (Roubaix Lille Metropole)Row 15 - Cell 2
17Sébastien Hinault (Ag2R La Mondiale)Row 16 - Cell 2
18Florian Vachon (Bretagne Schuller)Row 17 - Cell 2
19Geoffrey Soupe (FDJ-BigMat)0:00:05
20Boris Zimine (Roubaix Lille Metropole)Row 19 - Cell 2
21Laszlo Bodrogi (Team Type 1)Row 20 - Cell 2
22Benoît Drujon (Auber 93)Row 21 - Cell 2
23Rony Martias (Saur-Sojasun)Row 22 - Cell 2
24Rémi Cusin (Team Type 1)0:00:06
25Steve Houanard (Ag2R La Mondiale)Row 24 - Cell 2
26Jean Luc Delpech (Bretagne Schuller)Row 25 - Cell 2
27Renaud Dion (Bretagne Schuller)Row 26 - Cell 2
28Jérôme Pineau (Omega Pharma- QuickStep)0:00:09
29Sébastien Chavanel (Team Europcar)Row 28 - Cell 2
30Yohann Gene (Team Europcar)Row 29 - Cell 2
31Gaylord Cumont (Veranda Rideau-Super U)0:00:12
32Romain Matheou (Veranda Rideau-Super U)Row 31 - Cell 2
33Loïc Desriac (Roubaix Lille Metropole)Row 32 - Cell 2
34Arnaud Labbe (Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne)0:00:15
35Mathieu Delaroziere (La Pomme Marseille)Row 34 - Cell 2
36Mickaël Buffaz (Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne)Row 35 - Cell 2
37Alexandre Lemair (Bridgestone Anchor)Row 36 - Cell 2
38Florent Barle (Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne)Row 37 - Cell 2
39Rémy Di Gregorio (Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne)Row 38 - Cell 2
40Alexandre Pichot (Team Europcar)Row 39 - Cell 2
41Armindo Fonseca (Bretagne Schuller)Row 40 - Cell 2
42Mikael Cherel (Ag2R La Mondiale)Row 41 - Cell 2
43Cyril Gautier (Team Europcar)Row 42 - Cell 2
44Benjamin Giraud (La Pomme Marseille)Row 43 - Cell 2
45David Boucher (FDJ-BigMat)0:00:20
46César Bihel (Team Differdange - Magic - Sportfood. De)0:00:22
47Gaël Malacarne (Bretagne Schuller)Row 46 - Cell 2
48William Bonnet (FDJ-BigMat)0:00:24
49Lloyd Mondory (Ag2R La Mondiale)Row 48 - Cell 2
50Matthieu Ladagnous (FDJ-BigMat)0:00:27
51Angélo Tulik (Team Europcar)0:00:31
52Yannick Talabardon (Saur-Sojasun)0:01:04
53Guillaume Levarlet (Saur-Sojasun)0:01:06
54Maxime Bouet (Ag2R La Mondiale)Row 53 - Cell 2
55Benoît Jarrier (Veranda Rideau-Super U)Row 54 - Cell 2
56Christophe Riblon (Ag2R La Mondiale)Row 55 - Cell 2
57Guillaume Malle (Veranda Rideau-Super U)Row 56 - Cell 2
58Nicolas Baldo (Atlas Personal-Jakroo)Row 57 - Cell 2
59Rudy Molard (Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne)Row 58 - Cell 2
60Jimmy Engoulvent (Saur-Sojasun)0:01:08
61Geoffroy Lequatre (Bretagne Schuller)0:01:17
62Sylvain Chavanel (Omega Pharma-QuickStep)Row 61 - Cell 2
63Christophe Laborie (Saur-Sojasun)Row 62 - Cell 2
64Guillaume Bonnafond (Ag2R La Mondiale)Row 63 - Cell 2
65Kévin Lalouette (Roubaix Lille Metropole)0:01:24
66Pierre - Luc Perichon (La Pomme Marseille)Row 65 - Cell 2
67Matthieu Sprick (Team Argos-Shimano)Row 66 - Cell 2
68Ronan Racault (Auber 93)Row 67 - Cell 2
69Christophe Kern (Team Europcar)0:01:25
70Kévin Denis (Veranda Rideau-Super U)Row 69 - Cell 2
71Anthony Delaplace (Saur-Sojasun)Row 70 - Cell 2
72Julien Berard (Ag2R La Mondiale)Row 71 - Cell 2
73Dimitri Champion (Bretagne Schuller)Row 72 - Cell 2
74Romain Bardet (Ag2R La Mondiale)Row 73 - Cell 2
75Morgan Kneisky (Roubaix Lille Metropole)Row 74 - Cell 2
76Anthony Colin (Roubaix Lille Metropole)Row 75 - Cell 2
77Jean Christophe Peraud (Ag2R La Mondiale)0:01:34
78Anthony Roux (FDJ-BigMat)0:01:40
79Jérémie Galland (Saur-Sojasun)0:01:42
80Pierre Rolland (Team Europcar)0:01:55
81Cédric Pineau (FDJ-BigMat)0:01:58
82Pierre Drancourt (Roubaix Lille Metropole)Row 81 - Cell 2
83Julien Guay (Roubaix Lille Metropole)Row 82 - Cell 2
84Hubert Dupont (Ag2R La Mondiale)Row 83 - Cell 2
85Romain Lemarchand (Ag2R La Mondiale)Row 84 - Cell 2
86Yohann Bagot (Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne)Row 85 - Cell 2
87Jean - Eudes Demaret (Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne)Row 86 - Cell 2
88Flavien Dassonville (Auber 93)Row 87 - Cell 2
89Arnaud Courteille (FDJ-BigMat)Row 88 - Cell 2
90Franck Vermeulen (Veranda Rideau - Super U)Row 89 - Cell 2
91Jonathan Thire (Auber 93)Row 90 - Cell 2
92Sébastien Minard (Ag2R La Mondiale)0:02:51
93Jérémy Roy (FDJ-BigMat)0:03:08
94Julien Fouchard (Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne)0:03:33
95Guillaume Blot (Bretagne Schuller)0:04:32
96Francis Mourey (FDJ-BigMat)0:05:27
97Rémi Pauriol (FDJ-BigMat)Row 96 - Cell 2
98Matthieu Boulo (Roubaix Lille Metropole)Row 97 - Cell 2
99Arthur Vichot (FDJ-BigMat)Row 98 - Cell 2
100Stéphane Poulhies (Saur-Sojasun)0:05:35
101Anthony Geslin (FDJ-BigMat)0:05:42
102Pierrick Fedrigo (FDJ-BigMat)Row 101 - Cell 2
103Perrig Quemeneur (Team Europcar)0:06:23
104Kévin Reza (Team Europcar)Row 103 - Cell 2
105Vincent Jerome (Team Europcar)Row 104 - Cell 2
106Romain Bacon (Auber 93)0:07:39
107Steve Chainel (FDJ-BigMat)Row 106 - Cell 2
108Arnaud Gerard (FDJ-BigMat)0:08:57
109Tristan Valentin (Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne)Row 108 - Cell 2
110Giovanni Bernaudeau (Team Europcar)Row 109 - Cell 2
111Blel Kadri (Ag2R La Mondiale)Row 110 - Cell 2
112Nicolas Edet (Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne)0:10:59
113Nicolas Vogondy (Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne)Row 112 - Cell 2
114Johan Le Bon (Bretagne Schuller)Row 113 - Cell 2
115Mathieu Halleguen (Bretagne Schuller)Row 114 - Cell 2
116Blaise Sonnery (Bridgestone Anchor)Row 115 - Cell 2

 

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