Marcato wins Paris-Tours

Marco Marcato won his first classic at Paris-Tours but didn't dethrone Andreï Tchmil from the record books as the fastest winner ever. Back in 1997, the Moldavian turned Belgian set a record of 48.830km/h but the Italian from Vacansoleil-DCM came close with a score of 48.629. He resisted to a solo counter-attack by race favourite John Degenkolb and outsprinted Topsport Vlaanderen's Laurens de Vreese who accused him of misbehavior. Dutch champion Niki Terpstra of Omega Pharma-Quick Step was the third man of the winning breakaway.

The race started on a high speed with Sylvain Chavanel showing an aggressive spirit. One of the riders who accompanied him was young Australian talent Michael Hepburn from Orica-GreenEdge. "Before the race, our goal was to have someone in the breakaway," the world champion for individual pursuit told Cyclingnews. "It was a pretty big group. Being active and positive was a good way to conduct my last race as I didn't really get going on the road after the Olympics, but I'll come back stronger next year."

Karsten Kroon and Michael Morkov (Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank), Jérôme Pineau (Omega Pharma-Quick Step), Gatis Smukulis (Katusha), Laszlo Bodrogi (TT1), Arnaud Gérard (FDJ-BigMat), Koen De Kort (Argos-Shimano) and Yannick Talabardon (Saur-Sojasun) were the other members of the breakaway. Their gap over the pack grow rapidly. They could enjoy a 4:50 advantage after a very fast first hour of racing (50.6 kilometres covered). Behind, the chase was being organised by teams AG2R-La Mondiale, Vacansoleil-DCM and Garmin-Sharp, failing to have riders in the breakaway and the gap started dropping. "We wouldn't let them have more than four minutes lead," said eventual winner Marcato who co-captained the Vacansoleil-DCM team.

The strongest rider of the breakaway was obviously Michael Mørkøv. He decided to take off on his own with under 40 kilometres to go while all his former breakaway companions were caught up by the chasing pack at km 201. "I tried a way to escape from the bunch as I've done all year," the Dane told Cyclingnews. "It was a good group but some guys were too afraid to pull. They were saving energy. As I felt being the strongest of the group, I went away but I knew it was impossible to make it by myself with 35 kilometres more to race."

A group of seven counter-attackers took over from Mørkøv: Marcato, Terpstra, Roy Curvers (Argos-Shimano), Julien Bérard (AG2R-La Mondiale), De Vreese, Sébastien Turgot (Europcar) and Laurent Pichon (Bretagne-Schuller) managed to pull away in the last hills of the course and caught up with the leader. A second decisive move occurred in the final 10kms when Marcato pulled away, taking with him De Vreese and Terpstra.

While a group of favourites including defending champion Greg Van Avermaet (BMC), John Degenkolb (Argos-Shimano), Bjorn Leukemans (Vacansoleil-DCM) and Jakob Fuglsang (RadioShack-Nissan) managed to take off from the pack in the last hill (Cote de l'Epan, km 7), it was looking good for the front three, enjoying a fifteen seconds advantage with five kilometres to go. "Unfortunately, in the absence of radios, I didn't much of information," Marcato explained. "But I saw on the blackboard that there was a group at fifteen seconds and the peloton at 35 seconds. Obviously, had guys like Degenkolb, [Nacer] Bouhanni and [Adam] Blythe come across, it would have meant the end of my hopes."

Degenkolb was close to closing the gap by himself. "I understood this group was going for the victory but there were still three guys at the front," the German told Cyclingnews. "I was following Van Avermaet but since I was the strongest in the group, I tried because I only had one team-mate left with me. But probably I wasn't strong enough. You always have to try. I'm not devastated. It's still a fourth place in a big classic. After the fourth place at the world championship, it's not a bad way to conclude my season."

De Vreese wasn't that happy with the outcome. He and his directeur sportif Hans De Clercq complained to the judges about Marcato's move in the sprint but they got no luck. "Hadn't Marcato done that, I would have won," the Belgian noted. "I was going to pass him and he forced me to stop pedaling. It was my first time in such a situation while he had the experience of having sprinted here one year ago." After losing to Van Avermaet, Marcato had learnt the lesson. "I haven't seen what De Vreese is talking about," Marcato said. "I was only looking at the finishing line. But the street was wide. There was space for everyone. From last year, I mostly learnt how to ride in the kilometers preceding the sprint. One year ago, I had in mind that it was still good to be second. This time around, it was all or nothing. With 3km to go, I became confident that I would win."

The 28 year old Italian from Padova will put an end to his 2012 season at the Tour de Vendée next week, a race he won last year.

Full Results

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#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Marco Marcato (Ita) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling Team4:50:34
2Laurens De Vreese (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - MercatorRow 1 - Cell 2
3Niki Terpstra (Ned) Omega Pharma-QuickstepRow 2 - Cell 2
4John Degenkolb (Ger) Argos - Shimano0:00:06
5Laurent Pichon (Fra) Bretagne - Schuller0:00:12
6Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing TeamRow 5 - Cell 2
7Björn Leukemans (Bel) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling TeamRow 6 - Cell 2
8Jonathan Hivert (Fra) Saur - Sojasun0:00:19
9Jens Keukeleire (Bel) Orica GreenEdge Cycling TeamRow 8 - Cell 2
10Zdenek Stybar (Cze) Omega Pharma-QuickstepRow 9 - Cell 2
11Sébastien Turgot (Fra) Team EuropcarRow 10 - Cell 2
12Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Radioshack-NissanRow 11 - Cell 2
13Roy Curvers (Ned) Argos - ShimanoRow 12 - Cell 2
14Julien Berard (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 13 - Cell 2
15Adam Blythe (GBr) BMC Racing Team0:00:28
16Nacer Bouhanni (Fra) FDJ-Big MatRow 15 - Cell 2
17Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Katusha TeamRow 16 - Cell 2
18Tom Veelers (Ned) Argos - ShimanoRow 17 - Cell 2
19Steele Von Hoff (Aus) Garmin-SharpRow 18 - Cell 2
20Alessandro Bazzana (Ita) Team Type 1 - SanofiRow 19 - Cell 2
21Gaetan Bille (Bel) Lotto Belisol TeamRow 20 - Cell 2
22Jens Debusschere (Bel) Lotto Belisol TeamRow 21 - Cell 2
23James Vanlandschoot (Bel) Accent Jobs - Willems Veranda'sRow 22 - Cell 2
24Dennis Van Winden (Ned) Rabobank Cycling TeamRow 23 - Cell 2
25Evaldas Siskevicius (Ltu) La Pomme MarseilleRow 24 - Cell 2
26Benjamin Verraes (Bel) Accent Jobs - Willems Veranda'sRow 25 - Cell 2
27Zico Waeytens (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - MercatorRow 26 - Cell 2
28Jean-Luc Delpech (Fra) Bretagne - SchullerRow 27 - Cell 2
29Fumiyuki Beppu (Jpn) Orica GreenEdge Cycling TeamRow 28 - Cell 2
30Christophe Laborie (Fra) Saur - SojasunRow 29 - Cell 2
31Giacomo Nizzolo (Ita) Radioshack-NissanRow 30 - Cell 2
32Koldo Fernandez (Spa) Garmin-SharpRow 31 - Cell 2
33Maxime Vantomme (Bel) Katusha TeamRow 32 - Cell 2
34Stijn Neirynck (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - MercatorRow 33 - Cell 2
35Dimitri Le Boulch (Fra) Auber 93Row 34 - Cell 2
36Saïd Haddou (Fra) Team EuropcarRow 35 - Cell 2
37Adrien Petit (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En LigneRow 36 - Cell 2
38Sébastien Hinault (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 37 - Cell 2
39Armindo Fonseca (Fra) Bretagne - SchullerRow 38 - Cell 2
40Kristof Goddaert (Bel) AG2R La MondialeRow 39 - Cell 2
41Jimmy Casper (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 40 - Cell 2
42Koen De Kort (Ned) Argos - ShimanoRow 41 - Cell 2
43Kurt Hovelynck (Bel) LandbouwkredietRow 42 - Cell 2
44Jonathan Cantwell (Aus) Saxo Bank - Tinkoff BankRow 43 - Cell 2
45Thomas Sprengers (Bel) Lotto Belisol TeamRow 44 - Cell 2
46Ricardo Garcia Ambroa (Spa) Euskaltel - EuskadiRow 45 - Cell 2
47Florian Senechal (Fra) Omega Pharma-QuickstepRow 46 - Cell 2
48Dennis Vanendert (Bel) Lotto Belisol TeamRow 47 - Cell 2
49Julian Dean (NZl) Orica GreenEdge Cycling TeamRow 48 - Cell 2
50Alexandre Pichot (Fra) Team EuropcarRow 49 - Cell 2
51Romain Sicard (Fra) Euskaltel - EuskadiRow 50 - Cell 2
52Tom Skujins (Lat) La Pomme MarseilleRow 51 - Cell 2
53Michael Schär (Swi) BMC Racing TeamRow 52 - Cell 2
54Mirko Selvaggi (Ita) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling TeamRow 53 - Cell 2
55Kasper Klostergaard Larsen (Den) Saxo Bank - Tinkoff BankRow 54 - Cell 2
56David Lelay (Fra) Saur - SojasunRow 55 - Cell 2
57Marcello Pavarin (Ita) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling TeamRow 56 - Cell 2
58Vegard Stake Laengen (Nor) Team Type 1 - SanofiRow 57 - Cell 2
59Gert Steegmans (Bel) Omega Pharma-QuickstepRow 58 - Cell 2
60Gatis Smukulis (Lat) Katusha TeamRow 59 - Cell 2
61Florian Vachon (Fra) Bretagne - SchullerRow 60 - Cell 2
62Ramon Sinkeldam (Ned) Argos - ShimanoRow 61 - Cell 2
63Frédéric Amorison (Bel) LandbouwkredietRow 62 - Cell 2
64Leonardo Fabio Duque (Col) Cofidis, Le Credit En LigneRow 63 - Cell 2
65Mickael Delage (Fra) FDJ-Big MatRow 64 - Cell 2
66Juan Antonio Flecha Giannoni (Spa) Sky ProcyclingRow 65 - Cell 2
67Johannes Fröhlinger (Ger) Argos - ShimanoRow 66 - Cell 2
68Grégory Rast (Swi) Radioshack-NissanRow 67 - Cell 2
69Ben Hermans (Bel) Radioshack-Nissan0:00:42
70Karsten Kroon (Ned) Saxo Bank - Tinkoff BankRow 69 - Cell 2
71Alessandro Ballan (Ita) BMC Racing TeamRow 70 - Cell 2
72Sébastien Minard (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale0:00:47
73Baptiste Plackaert (Bel) Landbouwkrediet0:01:11
74Christophe Laporte (Fra) La Pomme Marseille0:01:22
75Grégoire Tarride (Fra) La Pomme MarseilleRow 74 - Cell 2
76Mathieu Drujon (Fra) Auber 93Row 75 - Cell 2
77Stef Clement (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team0:02:14
78Paul Martens (Ger) Rabobank Cycling TeamRow 77 - Cell 2
79Vladimir Isaichev (Rus) Katusha TeamRow 78 - Cell 2
80Stefan Van Dijk (Ned) Accent Jobs - Willems Veranda'sRow 79 - Cell 2
81Pieter Jacobs (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - MercatorRow 80 - Cell 2
82Laszlo Bodrogi (Fra) Team Type 1 - SanofiRow 81 - Cell 2
83Sylvain Chavanel (Fra) Omega Pharma-QuickstepRow 82 - Cell 2
84Aliaksandr Kuchynski (Blr) Katusha TeamRow 83 - Cell 2
85Yohan Cauquil (Fra) La Pomme MarseilleRow 84 - Cell 2
86Matteo Pelucchi (Ita) Team EuropcarRow 85 - Cell 2
87Romain Bacon (Fra) Auber 93Row 86 - Cell 2
88Oliver Zaugg (Swi) Radioshack-NissanRow 87 - Cell 2
89Michael Morkov (Den) Saxo Bank - Tinkoff BankRow 88 - Cell 2
90Mikel Astarloza Chaurreau (Spa) Euskaltel - EuskadiRow 89 - Cell 2
91Renaud Dion (Fra) Bretagne - SchullerRow 90 - Cell 2
92Benjamin Giraud (Fra) La Pomme MarseilleRow 91 - Cell 2
93Takashi Miyazawa (Jpn) Saxo Bank - Tinkoff BankRow 92 - Cell 2
94Tim De Troyer (Bel) Accent Jobs - Willems Veranda'sRow 93 - Cell 2
95Wesley Kreder (Ned) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling TeamRow 94 - Cell 2
96Romain Zingle (Bel) Cofidis, Le Credit En LigneRow 95 - Cell 2
97Nikolas Maes (Bel) Omega Pharma-QuickstepRow 96 - Cell 2
98Adrian Saez (Spa) Euskaltel - EuskadiRow 97 - Cell 2
99Egidijus Juodvalkis (Ltu) LandbouwkredietRow 98 - Cell 2
100Simon Geschke (Ger) Argos - ShimanoRow 99 - Cell 2
101Michael Van Staeyen (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - MercatorRow 100 - Cell 2
102Jarl Salomein (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator0:04:31
103Lars Boom (Ned) Rabobank Cycling TeamRow 102 - Cell 2
104Gijs Van Hoecke (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - MercatorRow 103 - Cell 2
105Robert Wagner (Ger) Radioshack-NissanRow 104 - Cell 2
106Jens Mouris (Ned) Orica GreenEdge Cycling TeamRow 105 - Cell 2
107Manuel Quinziato (Ita) BMC Racing TeamRow 106 - Cell 2
108Johan Mombaerts (Fra) Auber 93Row 107 - Cell 2
109Stéphane Poulhies (Fra) Saur - SojasunRow 108 - Cell 2
110Fabrice Jeandesboz (Fra) Saur - Sojasun0:05:16
111Brent Bookwalter (USA) BMC Racing Team0:06:08
112Matthew Busche (USA) Radioshack-NissanRow 111 - Cell 2
113Nicolas Rousseau (Fra) Auber 93Row 112 - Cell 2
114Sébastien Duret (Fra) Bretagne - SchullerRow 113 - Cell 2
115Arnaud Gerard (Fra) FDJ-Big MatRow 114 - Cell 2
116Baden Cooke (Aus) Orica GreenEdge Cycling TeamRow 115 - Cell 2
117Tony Hurel (Fra) Team Europcar0:06:39
118Gael Malacarne (Fra) Bretagne - SchullerRow 117 - Cell 2
119Frederik Willems (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team0:06:40
120Wilco Kelderman (Ned) Rabobank Cycling TeamRow 119 - Cell 2
121Pieter Serry (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - MercatorRow 120 - Cell 2
122Jonathan Breyne (Bel) Landbouwkrediet0:07:38
123Geoffroy Lequatre (Fra) Bretagne - SchullerRow 122 - Cell 2
124Sébastien Bergeret (Fra) FDJ-Big MatRow 123 - Cell 2
125Arthur Vichot (Fra) FDJ-Big MatRow 124 - Cell 2
126Jean-Lou Paiani (Fra) Saur - SojasunRow 125 - Cell 2
127Yannick Talabardon (Fra) Saur - SojasunRow 126 - Cell 2
128Arnoud Van Groen (Ned) Accent Jobs - Willems Veranda'sRow 127 - Cell 2
129Martijn Verschoor (Ned) Team Type 1 - SanofiRow 128 - Cell 2
130Samuel Dumoulin (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En LigneRow 129 - Cell 2
131Arnaud Labbe (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En LigneRow 130 - Cell 2
132Paul Poux (Fra) Saur - SojasunRow 131 - Cell 2
133Egoitz Garcia Echeguibel (Spa) Cofidis, Le Credit En LigneRow 132 - Cell 2
134Jean-Pierre Drucker (Lux) Accent Jobs - Willems Veranda'sRow 133 - Cell 2
135Fabien Bacquet (Fra) Auber 93Row 134 - Cell 2
136Angelo Tulik (Fra) Team Europcar0:07:46
137Koen Barbe (Bel) LandbouwkredietRow 136 - Cell 2
138Bjorn Thurau (Ger) Team Europcar0:07:59
139Davide Appollonio (Ita) Sky Procycling0:10:07
140Julien Fouchard (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne0:12:39
141Bert De Backer (Bel) Argos - ShimanoRow 140 - Cell 2
142Michael Hepburn (Aus) Orica GreenEdge Cycling TeamRow 141 - Cell 2
143Thomas Vaubourzeix (Fra) La Pomme MarseilleRow 142 - Cell 2
144Julien Antomarchi (Fra) Team Type 1 - SanofiRow 143 - Cell 2
145Stijn Devolder (Bel) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling TeamRow 144 - Cell 2
146Joeri Stallaert (Bel) LandbouwkredietRow 145 - Cell 2
147Brian Bulgac (Ned) Lotto Belisol TeamRow 146 - Cell 2
OTLYannick Eijssen (Bel) BMC Racing Team0:20:44
OTLLawrence Warbasse (USA) BMC Racing TeamRow 148 - Cell 2
OTLChristopher Juul Jensen (Den) Saxo Bank - Tinkoff BankRow 149 - Cell 2
OTLLuke Roberts (Aus) Saxo Bank - Tinkoff BankRow 150 - Cell 2
OTLAnton Vorobyev (Rus) Katusha TeamRow 151 - Cell 2
OTLAlexander Serebryakov (Rus) Team Type 1 - SanofiRow 152 - Cell 2
OTLGregor Gazvoda (Slo) AG2R La MondialeRow 153 - Cell 2
OTLNathan Haas (Aus) Garmin-SharpRow 154 - Cell 2
OTLThomas Scully (NZl) Garmin-SharpRow 155 - Cell 2
DNFThomas De Gendt (Bel) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling TeamRow 156 - Cell 2
DNFMartin Mortensen (Den) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling TeamRow 157 - Cell 2
DNFJonas Aaen Jörgensen (Den) Saxo Bank - Tinkoff BankRow 158 - Cell 2
DNFJeremy Hunt (GBr) Sky ProcyclingRow 159 - Cell 2
DNFChristian Knees (Ger) Sky ProcyclingRow 160 - Cell 2
DNFGeraint Thomas (GBr) Sky ProcyclingRow 161 - Cell 2
DNFGerald Ciolek (Ger) Omega Pharma-QuickstepRow 162 - Cell 2
DNFJérôme Pineau (Fra) Omega Pharma-QuickstepRow 163 - Cell 2
DNFViacheslav Kuznetsov (Rus) Katusha TeamRow 164 - Cell 2
DNFDavid Lozano Riba (Spa) Team Type 1 - SanofiRow 165 - Cell 2
DNFArnold Jeannesson (Fra) FDJ-Big MatRow 166 - Cell 2
DNFGeoffrey Soupe (Fra) FDJ-Big MatRow 167 - Cell 2
DNFBenoît Vaugrenard (Fra) FDJ-Big MatRow 168 - Cell 2
DNFBiel Kadri (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 169 - Cell 2
DNFRomain Lemarchand (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 170 - Cell 2
DNFMichel Kreder (Ned) Garmin-SharpRow 171 - Cell 2
DNFMartijn Maaskant (Ned) Garmin-SharpRow 172 - Cell 2
DNFRamunas Navardauskas (Ltu) Garmin-SharpRow 173 - Cell 2
DNFJacob Rathe (USA) Garmin-SharpRow 174 - Cell 2
DNFMatti Breschel (Den) Rabobank Cycling TeamRow 175 - Cell 2
DNFRick Flens (Ned) Rabobank Cycling TeamRow 176 - Cell 2
DNFCoen Vermeltfoort (Ned) Rabobank Cycling TeamRow 177 - Cell 2
DNFJan Ghyselinck (Bel) Cofidis, Le Credit En LigneRow 178 - Cell 2
DNFFrederique Robert (Bel) Lotto Belisol TeamRow 179 - Cell 2
DNFDamien Gaudin (Fra) Team EuropcarRow 180 - Cell 2
DNFPierre Cazaux (Fra) Euskaltel - EuskadiRow 181 - Cell 2
DNFRuben Perez Moreno (Spa) Euskaltel - EuskadiRow 182 - Cell 2
DNFPablo Urtasun Perez (Spa) Euskaltel - EuskadiRow 183 - Cell 2
DNFAndy Cappelle (Bel) Accent Jobs - Willems Veranda'sRow 184 - Cell 2
DNFThomas Degand (Bel) Accent Jobs - Willems Veranda'sRow 185 - Cell 2
DNFSébastien Delfosse (Bel) LandbouwkredietRow 186 - Cell 2
DNFBenoit Drujon (Fra) Auber 93Row 187 - Cell 2
DNFSteven Tronet (Fra) Auber 93Row 188 - Cell 2
DNFYannick Martinez (Fra) La Pomme MarseilleRow 189 - Cell 2
DNSChristian Meier (Can) Orica GreenEdge Cycling TeamRow 190 - Cell 2

 

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