Pozzato takes sprint victory at GP Ouest France-Plouay

Filippo Pozzato (Lampre-Merida) claimed his biggest win in years with victory in Sunday’s GP Ouest France-Plouay. The Italian sprinted to the line ahead of Giacomo Nizzolo (RadioShack Leopard) and Samuel Dumoulin (AG2R La Mondiale) to take his second win in two weeks following his victory in the Coppa Agostoni last month.

Facing a strong headwind on the finishing stretch, Pozzato exercised patience then made use of his fast finish to come through in the final few metres for the win at the head of a 70-strong field. BMC’s Greg Van Avermaet had launched a vicious attack from three kilometres out but the Belgian was reeled in within sight of the finish line.

"I'm really happy to be able to win such an important race for the team, the Galbusera family and our secondary sponsor Merida," said Pozzato. "We knew that it would be difficult to win the sprint from the front. I preferred to wait in my opponents' wake until the final moment on the straight, downhill finish then launch my own sprint."

For Nizzolo, second was a bitter pill to swallow as he thought he'd had the race won in the final metres.

"I started my sprint a bit early because last year I was too late," said Nizzolo. "It’s a tricky finish here and very easy to get boxed in. But at five or ten metres to go, Pozzato passed me.

"Second is nice but first is better. When someone passes you so close to the finish, it sucks. In the last lap I tried to follow the attacks and found myself between the attackers and the bunch. I spent too much energy there, I believe."

The 77th edition of the GP Ouest France-Plouay, part of the UCI WorldTour calendar, consisted of nine laps of a 27km circuit starting and finishing in Plouay, situated in France's Brittany region.

A four-man break formed soon after the race started and was comprised of members from each of France's four Pro Continental squads: Natnael Berhane (Europcar), Vegard Stake Laengen (Bretagne-Seche Environnement), Christophe Laborie (Sojasun) and Julien Fouchard (Cofidis). The peloton gave the quartet plenty of leeway as the escapees built up a lead in excess of 16 minutes, but by the time the break began it's penultimate lap their lead was cut to less than three minutes.

Prior to beginning the final 27km circuit the early break was absorbed and the counter-attacks began. Dries Devenyns (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) and Tom Dumoulin (Argos-Shimano) were momentarily able to escape the peloton's clutches, but entering the final 10 kilometres the deck was re-shuffled as three riders, Giovanni Visconti (Movistar), Kristijan Koren (Cannondale) and Tim Wellens (Lotto Belisol), were on the attack and held a slender 13-second advantage.

Their escape was neutralised at the lap's final climb, the Cote de Ty-Marrec, inside of five kilometres remaining and the punchy ascent saw several riders jump away from the peloton in a bid for victory. Michal Kwiatkowski (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) was the first over the climb and was closely marked by Greg Van Avermaet (BMC) and John Degenkolb (Argos-Shimano). This leading group would quickly grow to nine, but lacking cohesion and with the peloton just seconds behind more attacks were launched.

Enrico Gasparotto (Astana) jumped away alone with 3.5 kilometres remaining, but the Italian's move was short-lived and was countered by Greg Van Avermaet (BMC). The Belgian has been on good form of late having won a stage at the Tour of Utah as well as notching seven top-five finishes in stages in Utah and then Colorado's USA Pro Challenge, but the BMC rider now faced a difficult 3km time trial to the finish line.

The 28-year-old Belgian's solo attack continued under the flamme rouge, however, but he would be swept up by the peloton at 300 metres to go. "I felt really strong and I had a lot of power in my legs," said Van Avermaet. "But three kilometres alone with a headwind the whole way was hard."

Orica-GreenEdge led out the sprint but it would be Pozzato who reigned supreme in the Plouay finale.

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Full Results
1Filippo Pozzato (Ita) Lampre-Merida5:59:54
2Giacomo Nizzolo (Ita) RadioShack LeopardRow 1 - Cell 2
3Samuel Dumoulin (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 2 - Cell 2
4Jurgen Roelandts (Bel) Lotto BelisolRow 3 - Cell 2
5Daniele Bennati (Ita) Team Saxo-TinkoffRow 4 - Cell 2
6Thor Hushovd (Nor) BMC Racing TeamRow 5 - Cell 2
7Elia Viviani (Ita) Cannondale Pro CyclingRow 6 - Cell 2
8Francisco José Ventoso Alberdi (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 7 - Cell 2
9Borut Bozic (Slo) Astana Pro TeamRow 8 - Cell 2
10John Degenkolb (Ger) Team Argos-ShimanoRow 9 - Cell 2
11Cyril Lemoine (Fra) SojasunRow 10 - Cell 2
12Jose Joaquin Rojas Gil (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 11 - Cell 2
13Lars Boom (Ned) Belkin Pro Cycling TeamRow 12 - Cell 2
14Yoann Offredo (Fra) FDJ.frRow 13 - Cell 2
15Daryl Impey (RSA) Orica-GreenEdgeRow 14 - Cell 2
16Arthur Vichot (Fra) FDJ.frRow 15 - Cell 2
17Sébastien Hinault (Fra) IAM CyclingRow 16 - Cell 2
18Giovanni Visconti (Ita) Movistar TeamRow 17 - Cell 2
19Simone Ponzi (Ita) Astana Pro TeamRow 18 - Cell 2
20Michal Kwiatkowski (Pol) Omega Pharma-Quick StepRow 19 - Cell 2
21Matti Breschel (Den) Team Saxo-TinkoffRow 20 - Cell 2
22Enrico Gasparotto (Ita) Astana Pro TeamRow 21 - Cell 2
23Mathew Hayman (Aus) Sky ProcyclingRow 22 - Cell 2
24Jean-Luc Delpech (Fra) Bretagne-Seche EnvironnementRow 23 - Cell 2
25Romain Bardet (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 24 - Cell 2
26Peter Velits (Svk) Omega Pharma-Quick StepRow 25 - Cell 2
27Thomas Lövkvist (Swe) IAM CyclingRow 26 - Cell 2
28Mirko Selvaggi (Ita) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling TeamRow 27 - Cell 2
29Guillaume Levarlet (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 28 - Cell 2
30Tony Hurel (Fra) Team EuropcarRow 29 - Cell 2
31Romain Hardy (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 30 - Cell 2
32Arnaud Gerard (Fra) Bretagne-Seche EnvironnementRow 31 - Cell 2
33Florian Vachon (Fra) Bretagne-Seche EnvironnementRow 32 - Cell 2
34Wesley Kreder (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling TeamRow 33 - Cell 2
35Christopher Sutton (Aus) Sky ProcyclingRow 34 - Cell 2
36Martin Elmiger (Swi) IAM CyclingRow 35 - Cell 2
37Nelson Filipe Santos Simoes Oliveira (Por) RadioShack LeopardRow 36 - Cell 2
38Maurits Lammertink (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling TeamRow 37 - Cell 2
39Eduard Vorganov (Rus) KatushaRow 38 - Cell 2
40Anthony Delaplace (Fra) SojasunRow 39 - Cell 2
41Gediminas Bagdonas (Ltu) AG2R La MondialeRow 40 - Cell 2
42Angel Madrazo Ruiz (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 41 - Cell 2
43Dries Devenyns (Bel) Omega Pharma-Quick StepRow 42 - Cell 2
44Alexandr Kolobnev (Rus) KatushaRow 43 - Cell 2
45Manuele Boaro (Ita) Team Saxo-TinkoffRow 44 - Cell 2
46Marco Marcato (Ita) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling TeamRow 45 - Cell 2
47Romain Sicard (Fra) Euskaltel-EuskadiRow 46 - Cell 2
48Sylvain Chavanel (Fra) Omega Pharma-Quick StepRow 47 - Cell 2
49Mads Christensen (Den) Team Saxo-TinkoffRow 48 - Cell 2
50Sergey Lagutin (Uzb) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling TeamRow 49 - Cell 2
51Peio Bilbao (Spa) Euskaltel-EuskadiRow 50 - Cell 2
52Pavel Brutt (Rus) KatushaRow 51 - Cell 2
53Julian Kern (Ger) AG2R La MondialeRow 52 - Cell 2
54Jean-Marc Bideau (Fra) Bretagne-Seche EnvironnementRow 53 - Cell 2
55Simon Spilak (Slo) KatushaRow 54 - Cell 2
56Matthieu Ladagnous (Fra) FDJ.frRow 55 - Cell 2
57Miguel Minguez Ayala (Spa) Euskaltel-EuskadiRow 56 - Cell 2
58Matthias Brandle (Aut) IAM CyclingRow 57 - Cell 2
59Sébastien Duret (Fra) Bretagne-Seche EnvironnementRow 58 - Cell 2
60Cyril Gautier (Fra) Team EuropcarRow 59 - Cell 2
61Thomas Voeckler (Fra) Team EuropcarRow 60 - Cell 2
62Tony Gallopin (Fra) RadioShack LeopardRow 61 - Cell 2
63Brett Lancaster (Aus) Orica-GreenEdgeRow 62 - Cell 2
64Gorka Izaguirre Insausti (Spa) Euskaltel-EuskadiRow 63 - Cell 2
65Michael Albasini (Swi) Orica-GreenEdgeRow 64 - Cell 2
66Tom Leezer (Ned) Belkin Pro Cycling TeamRow 65 - Cell 2
67Maciej Bodnar (Pol) Cannondale Pro CyclingRow 66 - Cell 2
68Jon Izaguirre Insausti (Spa) Euskaltel-EuskadiRow 67 - Cell 2
69Rui Alberto Faria Da Costa (Por) Movistar TeamRow 68 - Cell 2
70Christophe Riblon (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 69 - Cell 2
71Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing Team0:00:12
72Daniel Oss (Ita) BMC Racing Team0:00:21
73Sebastian Langeveld (Ned) Orica-GreenEdge0:00:23
74Björn Leukemans (Bel) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team0:00:44
75Francesco Gavazzi (Ita) Astana Pro Team0:00:49
76Petr Ignatenko (Rus) Katusha0:01:10
77Kristijan Koren (Slo) Cannondale Pro CyclingRow 76 - Cell 2
78Damiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre-MeridaRow 77 - Cell 2
79Cristiano Salerno (Ita) Cannondale Pro CyclingRow 78 - Cell 2
80Vegard Stake Laengen (Nor) Bretagne-Seche EnvironnementRow 79 - Cell 2
81Maarten Neyens (Bel) Lotto BelisolRow 80 - Cell 2
82Mikel Astarloza Chaurreau (Spa) Euskaltel-EuskadiRow 81 - Cell 2
83Alberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Team Saxo-TinkoffRow 82 - Cell 2
84Rudy Molard (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 83 - Cell 2
85Julien Vermote (Bel) Omega Pharma-Quick StepRow 84 - Cell 2
86Fabien Schmidt (Fra) SojasunRow 85 - Cell 2
87Bert De Backer (Bel) Team Argos-ShimanoRow 86 - Cell 2
88Karsten Kroon (Ned) Team Saxo-TinkoffRow 87 - Cell 2
89Luke Durbridge (Aus) Orica-GreenEdgeRow 88 - Cell 2
90Steele Von Hoff (Aus) Garmin-SharpRow 89 - Cell 2
91Francois Parisien (Can) Team Argos-ShimanoRow 90 - Cell 2
92Laurent Pichon (Fra) FDJ.fr0:01:59
93Bert-Jan Lindeman (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team0:02:42
94Nathan Haas (Aus) Garmin-Sharp0:02:49
95Fredrik Carl Wilhelm Kessiakoff (Swe) Astana Pro TeamRow 94 - Cell 2
96Valerio Agnoli (Ita) Astana Pro TeamRow 95 - Cell 2
97Gaetan Bille (Bel) Lotto BelisolRow 96 - Cell 2
98Tom Dumoulin (Ned) Team Argos-ShimanoRow 97 - Cell 2
99Albert Timmer (Ned) Team Argos-ShimanoRow 98 - Cell 2
100Jack Bauer (NZl) Garmin-SharpRow 99 - Cell 2
101David Lopez Garcia (Spa) Sky ProcyclingRow 100 - Cell 2
102Sergio Miguel Moreira Paulinho (Por) Team Saxo-TinkoffRow 101 - Cell 2
103Mathias Frank (Swi) BMC Racing TeamRow 102 - Cell 2
104Michal Golas (Pol) Omega Pharma-Quick StepRow 103 - Cell 2
105Elia Favilli (Ita) Lampre-MeridaRow 104 - Cell 2
106Rein Taaramae (Est) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 105 - Cell 2
107Davide Cimolai (Ita) Lampre-Merida0:03:56
108Daniele Pietropolli (Ita) Lampre-MeridaRow 107 - Cell 2
109Michael Schär (Swi) BMC Racing TeamRow 108 - Cell 2
110Christophe Laborie (Fra) SojasunRow 109 - Cell 2
111Manuel Quinziato (Ita) BMC Racing TeamRow 110 - Cell 2
112Taylor Phinney (USA) BMC Racing TeamRow 111 - Cell 2
113Alessandro De Marchi (Ita) Cannondale Pro CyclingRow 112 - Cell 2
114Dirk Bellemakers (Ned) Lotto BelisolRow 113 - Cell 2
115Tim Wellens (Bel) Lotto BelisolRow 114 - Cell 2
116Blel Kadri (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale0:04:28
117Danilo Hondo (Ger) RadioShack Leopard0:06:52
118Julien Fouchard (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 117 - Cell 2
119Federico Canuti (Ita) Cannondale Pro CyclingRow 118 - Cell 2
120Alan Marangoni (Ita) Cannondale Pro CyclingRow 119 - Cell 2
121Marco Bandiera (Ita) IAM CyclingRow 120 - Cell 2
122Jesus Herrada Lopez (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 121 - Cell 2
123Guillaume Bonnafond (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 122 - Cell 2
124Perrig Quemeneur (Fra) Team EuropcarRow 123 - Cell 2
125Arnold Jeannesson (Fra) FDJ.frRow 124 - Cell 2
126Ramunas Navardauskas (Ltu) Garmin-SharpRow 125 - Cell 2
127Yury Trofimov (Rus) KatushaRow 126 - Cell 2
128Natnael Berhane (Eri) Team EuropcarRow 127 - Cell 2
129Gabriel Rasch (Nor) Sky ProcyclingRow 128 - Cell 2
130Matthias Krizek (Aut) Cannondale Pro CyclingRow 129 - Cell 2
131Jens Mouris (Ned) Orica-GreenEdgeRow 130 - Cell 2
132Maxim Belkov (Rus) Katusha0:13:00
133Alexey Lutsenko (Kaz) Astana Pro Team0:17:20
HDPaul Martens (Ger) Belkin Pro Cycling TeamRow 133 - Cell 2
HDKévin Reza (Fra) Team EuropcarRow 134 - Cell 2
DNFPeter Kennaugh (GBr) Sky ProcyclingRow 135 - Cell 2
DNFGeraint Thomas (GBr) Sky ProcyclingRow 136 - Cell 2
DNFJonathan Tiernan-Locke (GBr) Sky ProcyclingRow 137 - Cell 2
DNFAndrey Amador Bakkazakova (CRc) Movistar TeamRow 138 - Cell 2
DNFAlex Dowsett (GBr) Movistar TeamRow 139 - Cell 2
DNFRobert Hunter (RSA) Garmin-SharpRow 140 - Cell 2
DNFAlexander Kristoff (Nor) KatushaRow 141 - Cell 2
DNFAndy Schleck (Lux) RadioShack LeopardRow 142 - Cell 2
DNFLaurent Didier (Lux) RadioShack LeopardRow 143 - Cell 2
DNFBob Jungels (Lux) RadioShack LeopardRow 144 - Cell 2
DNFMaxime Monfort (Bel) RadioShack LeopardRow 145 - Cell 2
DNFMartin Velits (Svk) Omega Pharma-Quick StepRow 146 - Cell 2
DNFJérôme Pineau (Fra) Omega Pharma-Quick StepRow 147 - Cell 2
DNFDmitriy Gruzdev (Kaz) Astana Pro TeamRow 148 - Cell 2
DNFAdam Blythe (GBr) BMC Racing TeamRow 149 - Cell 2
DNFSébastien Minard (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 150 - Cell 2
DNFRoberto Ferrari (Ita) Lampre-MeridaRow 151 - Cell 2
DNFAndrea Palini (Ita) Lampre-MeridaRow 152 - Cell 2
DNFWilco Kelderman (Ned) Belkin Pro Cycling TeamRow 153 - Cell 2
DNFSep Vanmarcke (Bel) Belkin Pro Cycling TeamRow 154 - Cell 2
DNFChristopher Juul Jensen (Den) Team Saxo-TinkoffRow 155 - Cell 2
DNFMatthew Harley Goss (Aus) Orica-GreenEdgeRow 156 - Cell 2
DNFBrian Bulgac (Ned) Lotto BelisolRow 157 - Cell 2
DNFSander Cordeel (Bel) Lotto BelisolRow 158 - Cell 2
DNFGert Dockx (Bel) Lotto BelisolRow 159 - Cell 2
DNFJuan Jose Lobato Del Valle (Spa) Euskaltel-EuskadiRow 160 - Cell 2
DNFRicardo Garcia Ambroa (Spa) Euskaltel-EuskadiRow 161 - Cell 2
DNFMickael Delage (Fra) FDJ.frRow 162 - Cell 2
DNFArnaud Demare (Fra) FDJ.frRow 163 - Cell 2
DNFBenoît Vaugrenard (Fra) FDJ.frRow 164 - Cell 2
DNFDanny van Poppel (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling TeamRow 165 - Cell 2
DNFYann Huguet (Fra) Team Argos-ShimanoRow 166 - Cell 2
DNFJi Cheng (Chn) Team Argos-ShimanoRow 167 - Cell 2
DNFYukiya Arashiro (Jpn) Team EuropcarRow 168 - Cell 2
DNFPierre Rolland (Fra) Team EuropcarRow 169 - Cell 2
DNFJean-Marc Marino (Fra) SojasunRow 170 - Cell 2
DNFJonathan Hivert (Fra) SojasunRow 171 - Cell 2
DNFRémi Pauriol (Fra) SojasunRow 172 - Cell 2
DNFJulien Simon (Fra) SojasunRow 173 - Cell 2
DNFEgoitz Garcia Echeguibel (Spa) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 174 - Cell 2
DNFRomain Lemarchand (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 175 - Cell 2
DNFEdwig Cammaerts (Bel) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 176 - Cell 2
DNFKristof Goddaert (Bel) IAM CyclingRow 177 - Cell 2
DNFReto Hollenstein (Swi) IAM CyclingRow 178 - Cell 2
DNFDominic Klemme (Ger) IAM CyclingRow 179 - Cell 2
DNFGeoffroy Lequatre (Fra) Bretagne-Seche EnvironnementRow 180 - Cell 2
DNFArmindo Fonseca (Fra) Bretagne-Seche EnvironnementRow 181 - Cell 2
DNSPeter Stetina (USA) Garmin-SharpRow 182 - Cell 2

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