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65th Paris-Camembert Lepetit - 1.2
France, April 13, 2004
2003 Results Results Past winners
Bouyer bounces back
Sarthe rematch turns the tables
By Chris Henry
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Franck Bouyer (Brioches La Boulangère) earned his revenge over Thomas Lövkvist (FDJeux.com) today in a rematch of last week's Circuit de la Sarthe. After the talented young Swede Lˆvkvist wrestled victory from Bouyer in a long solo break on the final Sarthe stage, Bouyer put his power and experience to work to return the favour on the tough Paris-Camembert parcours. The Frenchman found himself with Lövkvist for company after repeated attacks in the finale, before winning the two man sprint by several bike lengths.
Both riders displayed their talents during the course, but neither rider placed much stock in his sprint. Bouyer, however, craftily manoeuvred himself onto Lövkvist's wheel in the final kilometre, forcing the Swede to lead out the sprint before he powered around to take the victory.
"I often mess up the sprint, Bouyer admitted. "I stayed as long as possible on his wheel [in the finale] and this time it worked."
As for Lövkvist, a second place at Paris-Camembert following overall victory in the Circuit de la Sarthe made for a rather successful week for the first year professional.
"I'm a terrible sprinter," he said. "There was a headwind in the last kilometre and he stuck to my wheel, so there was nothing I could do."
The day began with an extended debate over the presence of the Oktos-Saint Quentin team, originally denied entry in the race because of team director Oleg Kozlitine's supposed involvement in the distribution of banned substances to ex-Cofidis professional Philippe Gaumont. After much discussion, Oktos was granted a start in Paris-Camembert, but on the condition that the team not start with Frank Pencolé, members of whose fan club had apparently written menacing letters to the race organisers and sponsors insisting on the team's start. A back and forth debate ultimately found the team in and Pencolé out, much to the rider's dismay.
Several breaks went clear throughout the course of the race, including a move of some ten men spearheaded by riders like Samuel Dumoulin, Sylvain Chavanel, and Philippe Gilbert. Latvian champion Andrus Nauduzs was also on the attack, stretch his sprinters' legs over the first half of the Camembert course. As the race hit the first climbs, Nauduzs tried to carry on a solo move, but as the rain began to fall and the favourites came to the four, his chances began to fade.
Bouyer was the first to begin the hostilities from the chase group, attacking on the climb with Sandy Casar (FDJeux.com) in pursuit. Bouyer's teammate Jérôme Pineau bridged to the move quickly and the three caught and dropped Nauduzs, who began to feel the weight of the climb. With just under 20 kilometres to race, Pineau too began to crack, leaving just Casar and Bouyer to set off together.
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As the finishing kilometres ticked by, Bouyer and Casar were reeled in by the fast-moving chase as Casar tried in vain to force the pace on the day's final climb. Caught by the pursuing riders, Bouyer decided to attack again, first struggling with a ten metre gap on the steepest portion of the final ascent, then launching himself again over the top and through the beginning of the descent. Lövkvist was the only man able to bridge the gap, and the two set off on a pursuit match against a less organised chase group trailing just 20 seconds back.
Lacking coordination, the chase was unable to rally its collective strength to bring back the winning move, and Bouyer handily put his experience relative to Lövkvist to good use, playing the sprint exactly how he wanted. With his win, Bouyer moves into third place in the Coupe de France standings, behind Thor Hushovd and Anthony Geslin.
Photography
Images by AFP/Robert François
- Franck Bouyer (Brioches La Boulangère) gets his revenge over Circuit de la Sarthe winner Thomas Lövkvist (FDJeux.com)
- Franck Bouyer (Brioches La Boulangère) takes to the winner's podium
- The podium (l to r): Johan Coenen (Mr. Bookmaker-Palmans), Franck Bouyer (Brioches La Boulangère), Thomas Lövkvist (FDJeux.com)
Results
1 Franck Bouyer (Fra) Brioches La Boulangère 4.29.19 2 Thomas Lövkvist (Swe) FDJeux.com 0.01 3 Johan Coenem (Bel) Mr. Bookmaker-Palmans 0.20 4 Sandy Casar (Fra) FDJeux.com 5 Sylvain Chavanel (Fra) Brioches La Boulangère 6 Andrey Kashechkin (Kaz) Crédit Agricole 7 Laurent Brochard (Fra) Ag2r-Prévoyance 8 Alexandre Bazhenov (Rus) Domina Vacanze 0.28 9 Pierrick Fedrigo (Fra) Crédit Agricole 1.11 10 Frédéric Finot (Fra) RAGT Semences-MG Rover 11 Jean-Cyril Robin (Fra) FDJeux.com 12 Anthony Charteau (Fra) Brioches La Boulangère 13 Gilles Bouvard (Fra) RAGT Semences-MG Rover 14 Philippe Gilbert (Bel) FDJeux.com 15 Martin Derganc (Slo) Domina Vacanze 16 Walter Beneteau (Fra) Brioches La Boulangère 17 Patrice Halgand (Fra) Crédit Agricole 18 Nicolas Fritsch (Fra) FDJeux.com 19 Francesco Failli (Ita) Domina Vacanze 20 Christophe Agnolutto (Fra) Ag2r-Prévoyance 21 Alexandre Botcharov (Rus) Crédit Agricole 22 Eddy Lembo (Fra) Mr. Bookmaker-Palmans 1.14 23 Ludovic Auger (Fra) Auber 93 24 Jérôme Pineau (Fra) Brioches La Boulangère 1.20 25 Lénaïc Olivier (Fra) Auber 93 2.41 26 Jérémy Roy (Fra) FDJeux.com 27 Stéphane Goubert (Fra) Ag2r-Prévoyance 28 Tristan Valentin (Fra) Auber 93 29 Lubor Tesar (Cze) eD'system-ZVVZ 30 Pierre Bourquenoud (Sui) RAGT Semences-MG Rover 31 Eric Berthou (Fra) RAGT Semences-MG Rover 2.45 32 Yuriy Krivtsov (Ukr) Ag2r-Prévoyance 4.56 33 Nicolas Vogondy (Fra) FDJeux.com 34 Iñigo Chaurreau (Esp) Ag2r-Prévoyance 7.20 35 Benoît Poilvet (Fra) Crédit Agricole 7.21 36 Christophe Le Mevel (Fra) Crédit Agricole 37 Frédéric Gabriel (Fra) Mr. Bookmaker-Palmans 38 David Bréard (Fra) Auber 93
Past winners
Paris-Camembert (Trophée Lepetit) 2003 Laurent Brochard (Fra) Ag2r-Prévoyance 2002 Marcus Ljungqvist (Swe) Team fakta 2001 Laurent Brochard (Fra) Jean Delatour 2000 Didier Rous (Fra) 1999 Fabio Fontanelli (Ita) 1998 Pascal Lino (Fra) 1997 Mauro Gianetti (Swi) 1996 Adriano Baffi (Ita) 1995 Andrej Tchmil (Mol) 1994 Armand De las Cuevas (Fra) 1993 Oleg Kozlitine (Kaz) 1992 Patrice Esnault (Fra) 1991 Brian Holm (Den) 1990 Thierry Marie (Fra) 1989 Andreas Kappes (Ger) 1988 Laurent Fignon (Fra) 1987 Mathieu Hermans (Ned) 1986 Kim Andersen (Den) 1985 Martial Gayant (Fra) 1984 Hubert Linard (Fra) 1983 Christian Jourdan (Fra) 1982 Christian Jourdan (Fra) 1981 Guy Gallopin (Fra) 1980 Pierre-Raymond Villemiane (Fra) 1979 Raymond Martin (Fra) 1978 Joop Zoetemelk (Ned) 1977 Hubert Linard (Fra) 1976 Bernard Hinault (Fra) 1975 Raymond Martin (Fra) 1974 Alain Santy (Fra) 1973 Regis Delephin (Fra) 1972 José Catieau (Fra) 1971 Gerard Moneyron (Fra) 1970 Georges Chappe (Fra) 1969 Raymond Riotte (Fra) 1968 Harry Stevens (Ned) 1967 Georges Chappe (Fra) 1966 Desire Letort (Fra) 1965 Pierre Everaert (Fra) 1964 Arie Den Hertog (Ned) 1963 Jacques Simon (Fra) 1962 Piet Rentmeester (Ned) 1961 Jean-Claude Annaert (Fra) 1960 Joseph Groussard (Fra) 1959 Nicolas Barone (Fra) 1958 Nicolas Barone (Fra) 1957 Joseph Groussard (Fra) 1956 René Fournier (Fra) 1955 Jean-Marie Cieleska (Fra) 1954 Gilbert Bauvin (Fra) 1953 Jean Gueguen (Fra) 1952 Robert Varnajo (Fra) 1951 Jean Baldassari (Fra) 1950 Ange Le Strat (Fra) 1949 Jean Rey (Fra) 1948 Raoul Remy (Fra) 1947 Robert Dorgebray (Fra) 1946 Paul Neri (Ita) 1944 Maurice De Muer (Fra) 1943 Victor Cosson (Fra) Paris-Vimoutiers, 1906-1942 1942 Joseph Goutourbe (Fra) 1939 Pierre Cloarec (Fra) 1938 Jean-Marie Goasmat (Fra) 1937 André Auville (Fra) 1936 Yvon Marie (Fra) 1935 Marcel Bat (Fra) 1934 Louis Thietard (Fra) 1906 Mary (Fra) Past winners by Mario Stiehl, www.world-of-cycling.com
