Biannic wins French road race championships

Aude Biannic (Bretagne) won the espoir national championship.

Aude Biannic (Bretagne) won the espoir national championship. (Image credit: Fabrice Lambert/sportbreizh.com)

Movistar's Aude Biannic, 27, took a surprise win to claim the women's French national road championships in Mantes-la-Jolie. Biannic, who finished fourth in the national time trial championships earlier in the week, attacked with five kilometres to go and won alone over the 104km hilly course. The win comes ten years after Biannic claimed the same title as a junior.

Gladys Verhulst finished second, ten seconds down, with Anabelle Dreville rounding out the podium. FDJ had dominated the finale in terms of numbers but had to settle for Roxane Fournier finishing fifth in the bunch sprint.

Biannic went after a dangerous attack from Pauline Ferrand-Prévot and Audrey Cordon-Ragot - winner of the women's time trial - in the closing stages. She put in an attack of her own with 10km to go, only to be chased down by Anabelle Dreville but her third attack was enough to see off the remnants of the peloton and take a huge win.

"I'm what you'd call a 'domestique', one who always works for a teammate, and I'm neither a great climber nor a real sprinter; I've got some speed in my legs but I knew that I'd stand less of a chance into a sprint, and I needed to reach the finish alone. It wasn't easy for me, either, because I was racing alone against the whole bunch, especially FDJ, which proved to be really strong. I played all cards I held, and I think this strategy paid off really well!" she said at the finish.

"I'm so happy and full of emotions with this victory! I'm going to enjoy this so much, because such great feelings aren't something you go through every day. I had already been French champion as a junior ten years ago, but today's victory is another completely different thing. Being able to wear this jersey for the next 12 months in the biggest races of the calendar will be a huge pride for me."

"Ferrand-Prévot went strong on the attack and built a gap before the final lap, and I held some doubts about her being caught, but FDJ did a massive job at the front of the peloton to bring her back. It was a pretty flat course and that might have hurt her chances. I had chosen to save all energies for the final lap and left everything on the road into those attacks. I just didn't want to leave the race with a feeling of not having done everything I could.

Knowing that she still had fuel in the tank but that her chances would be limited in a bunch sprint Biannic attacked in a demanding section of the final lap. Once she created a small gap Biannic put her head down and ensured that she held on for the win.

"I jumped again with five kilometers to go, into a technical section after getting caught from a previous attack, and even if FDJ pushed hard to lead Roxane Fournier out, I didn't hesitate to continue pushing, gave it my all and was able to reach the finish solo."

Full Results

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#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Aude Biannic (Fra) Movistar Team Women2:54:34
2Gladys Verhulst (Fra)0:00:10
3Anabelle Dreville (Fra) Lotto Soudal LadiesRow 2 - Cell 2
4Pascale Jeuland (Fra) Doltcini-Van Eyck SportRow 3 - Cell 2
5Roxane Fournier (Fra) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine FuturoscopeRow 4 - Cell 2
6Juliette Labous (Fra) Team Sunweb WomenRow 5 - Cell 2
7Lucie Jounier (Fra)Row 6 - Cell 2
8Manon Souyris (Fra)Row 7 - Cell 2
9Severine Eraud (Fra) Experza-FootlogixRow 8 - Cell 2
10Marine Quiniou (Fra)Row 9 - Cell 2
11Laura Asencio (Fra)Row 10 - Cell 2
12Clara Copponi (Fra)Row 11 - Cell 2
13Sandrine Bideau (Fra)Row 12 - Cell 2
14Marion Sicot (Fra) Doltcini-Van Eyck SportRow 13 - Cell 2
15Marine Strappazzon (Fra)Row 14 - Cell 2
16Lena Gerault (Fra)Row 15 - Cell 2
17Melodie Lesueur (Fra)Row 16 - Cell 2
18Pauline Ferrand Prevot (Fra) Canyon-SRAM RacingRow 17 - Cell 2
19Greta Richioud (Fra) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine FuturoscopeRow 18 - Cell 2
20Audrey Cordon Ragot (Fra) Wiggle High5Row 19 - Cell 2
21Edwige Pitel (Fra)Row 20 - Cell 2
22Eugénie Duval (Fra) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine FuturoscopeRow 21 - Cell 2
23Ophelie Fenart (Fra)0:00:16
24Marion Bessone (Fra)0:00:27
25Charlotte Bravard (Fra) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine FuturoscopeRow 24 - Cell 2
26Coralie Demay (Fra) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope0:00:39
27Barbara Fonseca (Fra)0:01:20
28Camille Robert (Fra)Row 27 - Cell 2
29Lucie Lahaye (Fra)Row 28 - Cell 2
30Maëlle Grossetete (Fra)0:01:33
31Fanny Zambon (Fra)Row 30 - Cell 2
32Axelle Dubau-Prevot (Fra)0:01:36
33Lore Le Pabic (Fra)0:01:38
34Camille Devi (Fra)0:02:46
35Océane Tessier (Fra)0:03:01
36Mélanie Guedon (Fra)Row 35 - Cell 2
37Marion Norbert Riberolle (Fra)Row 36 - Cell 2
38Pascaline Duchesne (Fra)Row 37 - Cell 2
39Coralie Houdin (Fra)Row 38 - Cell 2
40Laura Morellec (Fra)Row 39 - Cell 2
41Victorie Guilman (Fra) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine FuturoscopeRow 40 - Cell 2
42Elodie Lollierou (Fra)0:06:15
43Evita Muzic (Fra) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope0:07:29
44Loriane Ceyssat (Fra)0:09:13
45Chloé Charpentier (Fra)0:10:38
46Marie Gielen (Fra)0:10:42
47Sophie De Muynck (Fra)0:10:44
48Marjolaine Bazin (Fra)0:10:51
49Pauline Clouard (Fra)0:10:55
50Pauline Cantele (Fra)0:11:44
51Lisa Guerin (Fra)Row 50 - Cell 2
52Gabrielle Rimasson (Fra)Row 51 - Cell 2
53Chloë Turblin (Fra) Health Mate-Cyclelive TeamRow 52 - Cell 2
54Clemence Eraud (Fra)Row 53 - Cell 2
55Julie Rollee (Fra)Row 54 - Cell 2
56Stéphanie Baud (Fra)Row 55 - Cell 2
57Juliette Vandekerckhove (Fra)Row 56 - Cell 2
58Amélie Hild (Fra)Row 57 - Cell 2
59Thérésa Hoebanckx (Fra)Row 58 - Cell 2
60Noëline Polycarpe (Fra)Row 59 - Cell 2
61Christelle Charvin (Fra)Row 60 - Cell 2
62Cyriane Muller (Fra)Row 61 - Cell 2
63Caroline Deguy (Swi)Row 62 - Cell 2
64Aline Guglielmi (Fra)Row 63 - Cell 2
65Pauline Allin (Fra)Row 64 - Cell 2
66Fanny Le Huitouze (Fra)Row 65 - Cell 2
67Bérengère Staelens (Fra)Row 66 - Cell 2
68Margaux Cadol (Fra)Row 67 - Cell 2
DNFOcéane Henault (Fra)Row 68 - Cell 2
DNFPauline Payen (Fra)Row 69 - Cell 2
DNFSophie Almeida (Fra)Row 70 - Cell 2
DNFDorine Granade (Fra)Row 71 - Cell 2
DNFMaeva Paret Peintre (Fra)Row 72 - Cell 2
DNFAudrey Menut (Fra)Row 73 - Cell 2
DNFAurore Verhoeven (Fra)Row 74 - Cell 2
DNFCamille Cochet (Fra)Row 75 - Cell 2
DNFGwennig Le Dantec (Fra)Row 76 - Cell 2
DNFFanny Leleu (Fra)Row 77 - Cell 2
DNFCharlotte Nidercorne (Fra)Row 78 - Cell 2
DNFEstelle Robert (Fra)Row 79 - Cell 2
DNFEva Ourliac (Fra)Row 80 - Cell 2
DNFElodie Loisance (Fra)Row 81 - Cell 2
DNFJustine Gegu (Fra)Row 82 - Cell 2
DNFCharlotte Guillard (Fra)Row 83 - Cell 2
DNFJade Leroueil (Fra)Row 84 - Cell 2
DNFManon Minaud (Fra)Row 85 - Cell 2
DNFMarine Cloarec (Fra)Row 86 - Cell 2
DNFCamille Deligny (Fra)Row 87 - Cell 2
DNFLéa Discontigny (Fra)Row 88 - Cell 2
DNFOcéanne Philibert (Fra)Row 89 - Cell 2
DNFOriane Chaumet (Fra)Row 90 - Cell 2
DNFMarie Delpeyroux (Fra)Row 91 - Cell 2
DNFAdrienne Langlois (Fra)Row 92 - Cell 2
DNFLaura Ripplinger (Fra)Row 93 - Cell 2
DNFElise Amartin (Fra)Row 94 - Cell 2
DNFMarie Dufour (Fra)Row 95 - Cell 2
DNFSteffi Jamoneau (Fra)Row 96 - Cell 2
DNFMarceline Devaux (Fra)Row 97 - Cell 2
DNFJennifer Mark (Fra)Row 98 - Cell 2
DNFMagali Beringer (Fra)Row 99 - Cell 2
DNFMélanie Labeyrie (Fra)Row 100 - Cell 2
DNFElodie Belz (Fra)Row 101 - Cell 2
DNFVirginie Loyer (Fra)Row 102 - Cell 2
DNFMélanie Descamps (Fra)Row 103 - Cell 2
DNFMarie Lafleur (Fra)Row 104 - Cell 2
DNFAnaïs Morichon (Fra)Row 105 - Cell 2
DNFIris Sachet (Fra)Row 106 - Cell 2
DNFAurore Flament (Fra)Row 107 - Cell 2
DNFAlexia Buzzi (Fra)Row 108 - Cell 2
DNFClaire Floret (Fra)Row 109 - Cell 2
DNFCindy Pomares (Fra)Row 110 - Cell 2
DNFMargot Grosjean (Fra)Row 111 - Cell 2
DNFJuliette Landon (Fra)Row 112 - Cell 2
DNFAudrey Housard (Fra)Row 113 - Cell 2
DNFAnaelle Menet (Fra)Row 114 - Cell 2
DNFPoerava Van Bastoler (Fra)Row 115 - Cell 2
DNFMathilde Terrasson (Fra)Row 116 - Cell 2
DNFJuliette Poirier (Fra)Row 117 - Cell 2
DNFAudrey Biancolin (Fra)Row 118 - Cell 2
DNFLaurie Berthon (Fra)Row 119 - Cell 2
DNFMorgane Coston (Fra)Row 120 - Cell 2
DNFSandrine Polizzi (Fra)Row 121 - Cell 2
DNFNoemie Abgrall (Fra)Row 122 - Cell 2
DNFTyphaine Laurance (Fra)Row 123 - Cell 2
DNFCecilia Le Bris (Fra)Row 124 - Cell 2

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Daniel Benson

Daniel Benson was the Editor in Chief at Cyclingnews.com between 2008 and 2022. Based in the UK, he joined the Cyclingnews team in 2008 as the site's first UK-based Managing Editor. In that time, he reported on over a dozen editions of the Tour de France, several World Championships, the Tour Down Under, Spring Classics, and the London 2012 Olympic Games. With the help of the excellent editorial team, he ran the coverage on Cyclingnews and has interviewed leading figures in the sport including UCI Presidents and Tour de France winners.

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