Paris-Roubaix Juniors - 1.HC (MJ)

France, April 15, 2007

2006 Results Results Past winners

France finally has an international hope: Fabien Taillefer

By Jean-François Quénet in Roubaix, France

It's been five years now since the local spectators at Paris-Roubaix have had the opportunity to cheer for one of their own juniors, three hours before watching the real race pass by. Apart from the first edition, held on a regional level and won by Anthony Collin, the Frenchmen have never been close to the win. That's why Fabien Taillefer has created kind of a surprise at the international level, although he was already known as the best junior in France to date this season.

Leading up to the Paris-Roubaix junior race Taillefer had already won three national races this year, and the international Route de l'Avenir just one week ago. He was so impressive that national coach Pierre-Yves Chatelon said, as he was taking a group for a week-long training camp: "I forgot to bring a derny, but it doesn't matter, they'll ride behind Taillefer."

The participants of Paris-Roubaix have learned that it's not always possible to ride behind Taillefer. No one was able to take his wheel when he attacked. As he was alone in the lead, three riders from the club of Balen - Tom Boonen's home town - chased behind him but never came across. "I attacked because they didn't want to ride with me," Taillefer said. Jens Debusschere had to be happy with finishing second.

It's unusual to see a Frenchman beating the Belgians on the roads of the Hell of the North. "It's so great to put my hands up in front of so many people in the velodrome," said a delighted Taillefer. "It was my first time doing Paris-Roubaix and my first selection in the French national team."

When he crossed the line, Taillefer indicated the sky to pay a tribute to his grandfather who died two years ago and his cousin who died from cancer, aged 14, last month. In third place came Paolo Locatelli, from the For 3 Milram junior squad, directed by Antonio Bevilacqua who is also one of the directors for the Team Milram Pro Tour squad. "I'm happy with my third place," Locatelli said. "I crashed once, I had a flat tyre, I got cramps at the end, but it was a fantastic experience to ride the cobblestone."

It's a fantastic experience for all the juniors to realize how exciting it is to ride in front of the crowd of Paris-Roubaix, perhaps one day these riders will be battling it out in the main race.

How it unfolded

The juniors had to ride for 35 kilometers on the tarmac before entering the real course of Paris-Roubaix, starting their cobblestones campaign at the section 16 with 85 more kilometers to cover. It was nervous from the start, with a few punctures and crashes. Two men broke clear and entered the pavé in the front: Denis Bonaiti (Milram) and Julien Detailleur (VC Roubaix).

They were rejoined by Christopher Jensen (Festina), Guillermo Mas Bonnet (Mircomar), Thomas Bonnin (France) and Mikkel Schioler (Roskilde). Fabien Taillefer (France) tried to cross to the group once, but had a problem with his derailleur and he couldn't go far. The group of six got caught at Mons-en-Pévèle, with 47 km to go, and it wasn't long before Taillefer jumped away.

On the pavé de Merignies with 43km to go, Taillefer broke clear for good. He never had more than 1.20 lead, but he crashed once by himself and he punctured at the Carrefour de l'Arbre which obviously prevented him from pulling out a larger margin over the bunch. Taillefer stayed away to ride into the famous Roubaix velodrome by himself.

Results

1 Fabien Taillefer (Fra) French National Team                       3.09.30 (39,293 km/h)
2 Jens Debusschere (Bel) Balen BC                                      1.19
3 Paolo Locatelli (Ita) For 3 Milram
4 Mikkel Schioler (Den) Roskilde CR                                    1.38
5 Mattia Cattaneo (Ita) For 3 Milram                                   1.40
6 Adam Blythe (GBr) British National Team                              1.48
7 Jarl Salomein (Bel) Avia Cycling Team
8 Mikkel Lund (Den) Roskilde CR
9 Mattias Allegaert (Bel) Balen BC                                     1.49
10 Ricky Eno Jorgensen (Den) Team Festina Vejle
11 Tim Declerck (Bel) Avia Cycling Team
12 Christopher Juul Jensen (Den) Team Festina Vejle
13 Marnik Dreesen (Bel) Balen BC                                       1.50
14 Thomas Chamon (Bel) Balen BC                                        2.00
15 Laurent Vandenbak (Bel) Avia Cycling Team                           3.24
16 Wesley Kreder (Ned) DCM GB Vorselaar CT
17 Mathias Vanmarcke (Bel) Sportgroep Maes Koksijde                    3.25
18 Nicolas Vereecken (Bel) Bodysol Lotto CT Menen                      3.46
19 Luis Gillermo Mas Bonnet (Spa) Mircomar Ceramicas Onda              3.47
20 Maxence Vandekerckhove (Fra) VC Roubaix Lille Metropole             3.57
21 Julien Ertveldt (Bel) Balen BC                                      3.58
22 Toby Meadows (GBr) South East Cycling Team                          4.56
23 Stefano Presello (Ita) Danieli Team Isonzo                          5.28
24 Blaz Zun (Slo) Slovenian National Team                              5.29
25 Julien Vermote (Bel) KSV Deerlijk                                   5.35
26 Greg Faes (Bel) KSV Deerlijk                                        6.03
27 Paolo Giaimo (Ita) Team Bianchi GC/GS Cicli Fiorin                  6.07
28 Julien Dumont (Bel) Team Wallonie                                   6.18
29 Romain Pinot (Fra) Côtes d'Armor Maître Jacques                     6.24
30 Adrien Petit (Fra) Team Wasquehal Juniors                           6.25
31 Guillaume Boivin (Can) Prédictor Lotto VC Ardennes
32 Vincent Vebersax (Swi) Swiss National Team
33 Gil Jacot-Descombes (Swi) Swiss National Team                       6.29
34 Wouter Timmerman (Ned) District Midden Nederland                    6.30
35 Romain Pillon (Fra) ESEG Douai                                      6.35
36 Alphonse Vermote (Bel) KSV Deerlijk                                 6.46
37 Quentin Santy (Fra) Team Wasquehal Juniors                          7.02
38 Kenneth Bultinck (Bel) Avia Cycling Team                            7.06
39 Dries Ingels (Bel) Avia Cycling Team
40 Mark Mcnally (GBr) British National Team                            7.29
41 Nicolas Boisson (Fra) French National Team
42 Aurelien Champenois (Bel) Prédictor Lotto VC Ardennes               7.35
43 Maxime Bernard (Fra) Département Nord                               7.37
44 Jacob Gye Madsen (Den) Team Festina Vejle                           8.35
45 Giel Bruyneel (Bel) KSV Deerlijk                                    8.37
46 Glenn Le Queau (Fra) Bretagne
47 Bastien Rouard (Bel) Team Wallonie                                  8.38
48 Landry Poirier (Fra) Pôle Espoirs la Roche sur Yon                  8.41
49 Antony Louis (Fra) Département Nord                                 9.21
50 Tony Tomasina (Fra) Team Wasquehal Juniors
51 Gianfranco Zilioli (Ita) For 3 Milram
52 Julien Detailleur (Fra) VC Roubaix Lille Metropole                  9.22
53 Kenny Depuydt (Bel) Sportgroep Maes Koksijde                        9.23
54 Stijn Van Roy (Bel) Bodysol Lotto CT Menen
55 Valentin Ghilbert (Fra) Team Wasquehal Juniors
56 Thomas Le Pallec (Fra) Bretagne                                     9.25
57 Lorenz Beyens (Bel) Bodysol Lotto CT Menen                          9.38
58 Thomas Girard (Fra) French National Team                           11.07
59 Raymond Kreder (Ned) DCM GB Vorselaar CT                           11.16
60 Eric Rowsell (GBr) South East Cycling Team
61 Christopher Malawka (Bel) Team Wallonie                            11.42
62 Jarno Gmelich Meijling (Ned) District Midden Nederland             12.11
63 Victor Cabedo Carda (Spa) Mircomar Ceramicas Onda                  13.26
64 Thomas Bonnin (Fra) French National Team                           13.27
65 Paul Pontel (Ita) Danieli Team Isonzo
66 Loïc Desriac (Fra) French National Team
67 Kevin Briand (Fra) ESEG Douai                                      14.02
68 Kevin Suarez (Bel) Team Wallonie                                   14.03
69 Jeroen Socquet (Bel) Team Wallonie
70 Romain Boulanger (Fra) VC Roubaix Lille Metropole                  14.06
71 Tony Guinhut (Fra) U.C. Nantes Atlantique                          14.09
72 Quentin Gougeon (Fra) Pôle Espoirs la Roche sur Yon                14.11
73 Alexis Ansard (Fra) Team Wasquehal Juniors                         14.19
74 Vladas Kokorevas (Ltu) Litubel Forte d'Oro Team                    14.43
75 Jonas Ahlstrand (Swe) KSV Deerlijk
76 Scott Thwaites (GBr) South East Cycling Team                       14.44
77 Rasmus Quaade (Den) Roskilde CR
78 Marek Grman (Svk) Slavia S.S. Kelly's Trencin
79 Robert Povolny (Svk) Slavia S.S. Kelly's Trencin                   14.45
80 Benoît Menuet (Fra) Bretagne                                       14.46
81 Benjamin King USA National Team                                    14.48
82 Morten Gregersen (Den) Team Festina Vejle                          14.50
83 Norbert Parent (Fra) Dunkerque Littoral Cyclisme                   14.58
84 Victor Fobert (Fra) Team Wasquehal Juniors                         14.59
85 Frederick Catrysse (Bel) Sportgroep Maes Koksijde                  16.49
86 Kevin Verstaen (Bel) KSV Deerlijk                                  17.43
87 Rogier De Breij (Ned) District Midden Nederland                    18.10
88 Michele Mura (Ita) Team Bianchi GC/GS Cicli Fiorin                 18.27
89 Rudy Kowalski (Fra) VC Roubaix Lille Metropole                     18.48
90 Dries Vannevel (Bel) Avia Cycling Team                             18.55
91 Martin Pirlet (Bel) Prédictor Lotto VC Ardennes
92 Lucca Albasini (Swi) Swiss National Team                           18.56
93 Bouke Kuiper (Ned) District Midden Nederland
94 Mantas Bliakevicius (Ltu) Litubel Forte d'Oro Team                 20.33
95 Filip Kudlac (Svk) Slavia S.S. Kelly's Trencin                     20.34
96 Martin Mahdar (Svk) Slavia S.S. Kelly's Trencin
97 Sam Webster (GBr) South East Cycling Team                          20.36
98 Ronan Dequippe (Fra) U.C. Nantes Atlantique                        20.39
99 Flavien Tortay (Fra) U.C. Nantes Atlantique                        20.41
100 Matthieu Boulo (Fra) Bretagne                                     20.42

Past winners

Pavé de Roubaix

2006 Raymond Kreder (Ned) DCM Voorselaar
2005 Michael Baer (Swi) Swiss National Team
2004 Geraint Thomas (GBr)