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57th Paris-Bourges - 1.1

France, October 11, 2007

2006 Results    Results    Past winners

Feillu scores fourth neo-pro win

Chavanel secures French Cup title

By Jean-François Quénet in Bourges, France

France's Romain Feillu (Agritubel) sprints to victory
Photo ©: Régis Garnier
(Click for larger image)

The 57th Paris-Bourges ended with a spectacular win by French rookie Romain Feillu (Agritubel), who sprinted audaciously from 300 meters out to take the massive bunch sprint victory. The tactic saw Feillu outclass on-form sprinters like Thor Hushovd (Credit Agricole) and Aurélien Clerc (Bouygues Telecom), both of which are touted as favorites for Sunday's Paris-Tours ProTour race.

"I knew I could achieve something interesting in the sprint," Feillu explained. "The team rode at perfection. As we had Jonathan Thiré in the break all day, we didn't have to work at all, neither did we when Freddy Bichot went in a counter-attack. Denis Robin and Cédric Coutouly rode behind the last escapees.

"In the preparation of my sprint, I didn't quit Bichot's wheel," added Feillu. "He placed me exactly where I had to be before the last curve. I accelerated and he stopped pedaling completely. He created a gap for me - that's how I won."

The Frenchman's surprise tactic was praised by Tour de France stage winner Hushovd. The Norwegian admitted the maneuver took the big named riders by surprise and paid dividends for the youngster. "One of Feillu's team-mates surprised us," confessed Hushovd. "I should have paid more attention. I should have been more aggressive in the sprint. I thought 300 meters were too long for Feillu, but it wasn't."

Alejandro Valverde (Caisse d'Epargne)
Photo ©: Régis Garnier
(Click for larger image)

Feillu's season started off strong when he claimed his first professional result against the likes of Tom Boonen (Quick.Step-Innergetic) in the Tour of Qatar's sprint. "My season started well and finishes well," said a delighted Feillu.

He also achieved some top five finishes on the Tour de Frace's sprint stages this season. Paris-Bourges is his fourth neo-professional victory, having claimed wins at Boucles de l'Aulne, a stage of the Tour of Luxemburg and the Tour of Britain's overall classification. "Before the season, I told my former team-mate Guillaume Levarlet [now with Auber 93 and next year with Française des Jeux] 'for my first pro season, I'll win between two and five races, I'll take part in the Tour de France and the world championship'. I've done all of that, it's fantastic. Now I say that I want more next year, although it might sound pretentious."

Despite saying his season has ended on a high note, Feillu's first professional year isn't over yet. The Frenchman will contest the weekend's Paris-Tours, where he will surely be a marked man, and will also ride the Chrono des Nations in Les Herbiers on October 21.

How it unfolded

Jean Zen (Roubaix Lille Métropole) and Jonathan Thiré (Agritubel)
Photo ©: Régis Garnier
(Click for larger image)

After only five kilometres Agritubel stagiaire Jonathan Thiré found an opportunity to break clear following the numerous early attacks. As the Frenchman headed down the road so too did countryman Jean Zen (Roubaix Lille Metropole). The duo stayed away for over half the event's distance, pulling out as much as 13.50 minutes over the main bunch, and still maintaining an 8.35 minute lead at the crucial côte de Chavignol with 71 kilometres remaining. As the peloton gathered momentum, Feillu crossed the climb in a strong fourth position.

A group of 17 riders attacked behind Thiré and Zen, including Caisse d'Epargne trio Alejandro Valverde, Joaquin Rodriguez and Alberto Losada, Matthieu Sprick (Bouygues Telecom), Cofidis trio Sébastien Minard, Leonardo Duque and Maxime Monfort, Nicolas Roche and Dimitri Fofonov from Crédit Agricole, Philippe Gilbert and Christophe Mengin of Française des Jeux, Ag2r Prevoyance Renaud Dion, Team CSC trio Karsten Kroon and Lars Ytting Bak, Freddy Bichot (Agritubel), Yann Pivois (Bretagne-Armor Lux) and Jérémie Galland (Auber 93).

France's Sylvain Chavanel (Cofidis)
Photo ©: Régis Garnier
(Click for larger image)

From that group, Gilbert tried to go solo but Française des Jeux was mostly focused on defending Sébastien Chavanel's French Cup lead. Bak, who won this event in 2005, was the next rider to solo behind the two men.

From the group of 17, Duque, Fofonov, Dion, Kroon and Rodriguez went away. The five were caught with six kilometres remaining, as the whole race entered the town of Bourges. Gilbert and Sébastien Hinault (Crédit Agricole) attacked under the flamme rouge but wasn't able to stay away to the finish line.

With 500 meters to go, Bichot accelerated for Feillu and stood up. As Bichot created a gap, Feillu powered through at full gas and nobody was able to head the Frenchman. Clerc, Hushovd and Alexandre Usov (Ag2r Prevoyance) could only fight for second place at the level of Feillu's rear wheel.

Chavanel retained the lead of the French Cup which concluded at Paris-Bourges. Feillu took second place in the French Cup standings and was awarded the best young rider of the French Cup.

Photography

For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here

Images by Régis Garnier/www.velofotopro.com

Results - 194.3 km

1 Romain Feillu (Fra) Agritubel                                     4.46.57 (40.627 km/h)
2 Aurélien Clerc (Swi) Bouygues Telecom                                    
3 Alexandre Usov (Blr) Ag2r Prevoyance                                     
4 Thor Hushovd (Nor) Credit Agricole                                       
5 Saïd Haddou (Fra) Bouygues Telecom                                       
6 Stéphane Bonsergent (Fra) Bretagne Armor Lux                             
7 Matti Breschel (Den) Team CSC                                            
8 Carlos Da Cruz (Fra) Française Des Jeux                                  
9 Luke Roberts (Aus) Team CSC                                              
10 José Ivan Gutierrez Palacios (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne                     
11 Staf Scheirlinckx (Bel) Cofidis, le Credit Par Telephone                
12 Kasper Jebjerg (Den) Team Designa Køkken                                
13 Philippe Gilbert (Bel) Française Des Jeux                               
14 Kurt Hovelynck (Bel) Chocolade Jacques - Topsport Vlaanderen            
15 David Boucher (Fra) Landbouwkrediet - Tonissteiner                      
16 Freddy Bichot (Fra) Agritubel                                           
17 Jean-Luc Delpech (Fra) Bretagne Armor Lux                               
18 Sébastien Minard (Fra) Cofidis, le Credit Par Telephone                 
19 Sébastien Hinault (Fra) Credit Agricole                                 
20 Cédric Pineau (Fra) Roubaix Lille Metropole                             
21 Evert Verbist (Bel) Chocolade Jacques - Topsport Vlaanderen             
22 Sébastien Chavanel (Fra) Française Des Jeux                             
23 Renaud Dion (Fra) Ag2r Prevoyance                                       
24 Sven Renders (Bel) Chocolade Jacques - Topsport Vlaanderen              
25 Benoît Sinner (Fra) Agritubel                                           
26 Nico Sijmens (Bel) Landbouwkrediet - Tonissteiner                       
27 Nicolas Roche (Irl) Credit Agricole                                     
28 Alejandro Valverde Belmonte (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne                      
29 Jonathan Hivert (Fra) Credit Agricole                                   
30 Allan Johansen (Den) Team CSC                                           
31 Marcus Ljungqvist (Swe) Team CSC                                        
32 Yann Pivois (Fra) Bretagne Armor Lux                                    
33 Hannes Blank (Ger) Continental Cycling Team Differdange                 
34 Imanol Erviti (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne                                    
35 René Joergensen (Den) Team Designa Køkken                               
36 Samuel Dumoulin (Fra) Ag2r Prevoyance                                   
37 Kurt-Asle Arvesen (Nor) Team CSC                                        
38 Yann Huguet (Fra) Cofidis, le Credit Par Telephone                      
39 Alberto Losada Alguacil (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne                          
40 Nicolas Rousseau (Fra) Ag2r Prevoyance                                  
41 Oscar Pereiro Sio (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne                                
42 Jan Kuyckx (Bel) Landbouwkrediet - Tonissteiner                         
43 Jean-Paul Simon (Bel) Babes Only Villapark Lingemeer Flanders           
44 Jérémie Galland (Fra) Auber 93                                          
45 Sébastien Duret (Fra) Bretagne Armor Lux                                
46 Johan Coenen (Bel) Chocolade Jacques - Topsport Vlaanderen              
47 Frédéric Finot (Fra) Roubaix Lille Metropole                            
48 Christophe Mengin (Fra) Française Des Jeux                              
49 Kevin Neirynck (Bel) Landbouwkrediet - Tonissteiner                     
50 Yuriy Krivtsov (Ukr) Ag2r Prevoyance                                    
51 Cedric Coutouly (Fra) Agritubel                                         
52 Arnold Jeannesson (Fra) Auber 93                                        
53 Guillaume Le Floch (Fra) Bretagne Armor Lux                             
54 Christophe Riblon (Fra) Ag2r Prevoyance                                 
55 Tristan Valentin (Fra) Cofidis, le Credit Par Telephone                 
56 Peter Ronsse (Bel) Babes Only Villapark Lingemeer Flanders              
57 Frédéric Gabriel (Fra) Landbouwkrediet - Tonissteiner                   
58 Pablo Lastras Garcia (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne                             
59 Rémi Pauriol (Fra) Credit Agricole                                      
60 Mathieu Perget (Fra) Caisse d'Epargne                                   
61 Denis Robin (Fra) Agritubel                                             
62 Michael Reihs (Den) Team Designa Køkken                                 
63 Arnaud Gerard (Fra) Française Des Jeux                                  
64 Rene Mandri (Est) Ag2r Prevoyance                                       
65 Frédéric Guesdon (Fra) Française Des Jeux                               
66 Dmitriy Fofonov (Kaz) Credit Agricole                                   
67 Thomas Voeckler (Fra) Bouygues Telecom                                  
68 Charles Guilbert (Fra) Bretagne Armor Lux                           0.14
69 Leonardo Duque (Col) Cofidis, le Credit Par Telephone                   
70 Alexandre Pichot (Fra) Bouygues Telecom                                 
71 Maxime Mederel (Fra) Auber 93                                       0.17
72 Frederik Veuchelen (Bel) Chocolade Jacques - Topsport Vlaanderen    0.22
73 Ramuntxo Garmendia (Fra) Babes Only Villapark Lingemeer Flanders        
74 Jérémy Roy (Fra) Française Des Jeux                                     
75 Mickael Larpe (Fra) Roubaix Lille Metropole                             
76 Damien Monier (Fra) Cofidis, le Credit Par Telephone                    
77 Hakan Nilsson (Swe) Continental Cycling Team Differdange                
78 Sylvain Chavanel (Fra) Cofidis, le Credit Par Telephone                 
79 Karsten Kroon (Ned) Team CSC                                            
80 Maxime Monfort (Bel) Cofidis, le Credit Par Telephone                   
81 Cyrille Monnerais (Fra) Française Des Jeux                              
82 Joaquin Rodriguez Oliver (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne                         
83 Serge Pauwels (Bel) Chocolade Jacques - Topsport Vlaanderen             
84 Steven Kleynen (Bel) Landbouwkrediet - Tonissteiner                     
85 Jonathan Thire (Fra) Agritubel                                          
86 Jean Zen (Fra) Roubaix Lille Metropole                                  
87 Lars Ytting Bak (Den) Team CSC                                      1.09
88 Anthony Geslin (Fra) Bouygues Telecom                               1.16
89 Vincent Jerome (Fra) Bouygues Telecom                               1.47
90 Niels Brouzes (Fra) Auber 93                                            
91 Bart Vanheule (Bel) Chocolade Jacques - Topsport Vlaanderen             
92 Yannick Talabardon (Fra) Credit Agricole                            2.46
DNF Yohann Gene (Fra) Bouygues Telecom                                 2.48
DNF Matthieu Sprick (Fra) Bouygues Telecom                                 
DNF Jean Marc Marino (Fra) Credit Agricole                                 
DNF Laurent Mangel (Fra) Ag2r Prevoyance                                   
DNF Matthew Harley Goss (Aus) Team CSC                                     
DNF Aivaras Baranauskas (Ltu) Agritubel                                    
DNF Kenny De Haes (Bel) Chocolade Jacques - Topsport Vlaanderen            
DNF Frédéric Amorison (Bel) Landbouwkrediet - Tonissteiner                 
DNF Ludovic Capelle (Bel) Roubaix Lille Metropole                          
DNF Steven Tronet (Fra) Roubaix Lille Metropole                            
DNF Florian Vachon (Fra) Roubaix Lille Metropole                           
DNF Yauheni Hutarovich (Blr) Roubaix Lille Metropole                       
DNF Piotr Zielinski (Pol) Bretagne Armor Lux                               
DNF Morgan Chedhomme (Fra) Auber 93                                        
DNF Christophe Diguet (Fra) Auber 93                                       
DNF Mathieu Drujon (Fra) Auber 93                                          
DNF Jean Mespoulede (Fra) Auber 93                                         
DNF Martin Mortensen (Den) Team Designa Køkken                             
DNF Michael Tronborg Kristensen (Den) Team Designa Køkken                  
DNF Fredrik Johansson (Swe) Team Designa Køkken                            
DNF Thomas Guldhammer (Den) Team Designa Køkken                            
DNF Ken De Vaere (Bel) Babes Only Villapark Lingemeer Flanders             
DNF Michael Blanchy (Bel) Babes Only Villapark Lingemeer Flanders          
DNF Justin Leigh Kerr (NZl) Babes Only Villapark Lingemeer Flanders        
DNF Pieter Muys (Bel) Babes Only Villapark Lingemeer Flanders              
DNF Frank Dressler (Ger) Continental Cycling Team Differdange              
DNF Christian Poos (Lux) Continental Cycling Team Differdange              
DNF Morten Knudsen (Den) Continental Cycling Team Differdange              
DNF Christophe Masson (Fra) Continental Cycling Team Differdange           
DNF Stefan Heiny (Ger) Continental Cycling Team Differdange                
DNS Steven Thys (Bel) Babes Only Villapark Lingemeer Flanders              
 
French Cup
 
1 Sébastien Chavanel (Fra) Française Des Jeux

Past winners

2006 Thomas Voeckler (Fra) Bouygues Telecom                         
2005 Lars Ytting Bak (Den) Team CSC
2004 Jerome Pineau (Fra) Brioches la Boulangere
2003 Jens Voigt (Ger) Credit Agricole
2002 Allan Johansen (Den) EDS-fakta
2001 Florent Brard (Fra) Festina
2000 Laurent Brochard (Fra)
1999 Daniele Nardello (Ita)
1998 Ludo Dierckxsens (Bel)
1997 Laurent Roux (Fra)
1996 Tristan Hoffman (Ned)
1995 Daniele Nardello (Ita)
1994 Lars Michaelsen (Den)
1993 Bruno Cornillet (Fra)
1991 Andrej Tchmil (Rus)
1990 Laurent Jalabert (Fra)
1988 Patrice Esnault (Fra)
1987 Kim Andersen (Den)
1986 Domenique Lecrocq (Fra)
1985 Niki Rüttimann (Swi)
1983 Stephen Roche (Ire)
1982 Didier Vanoverschelde (Fra)
1981 Francis Castaing (Fra)
1980 Yves Hézard (Fra)
1979 Jean-René Bernaudeau (Fra)
1978 Regis Ovion (Fra)
1977 Regis Delepine (Fra)
1976 Jean-Paul Molineris (Fra)
1975 Jean-Paul Danguilaume (Fra)
1974 Barry Hoban (GB)
1973 A. Berland (Fra)
1972 Cyril Guimard (Fra)
1971 Walter Ricci (Fra)
1957 Raymond Guegan (Fra)
1956 Joseph Morvan (Fra)
1955 Jean-Marie Cieleska (Fra)
1954 Jean Stablinski (Fra)
1953 Robert Varnajo (Fra)
1952 Stanislas Bober (Fra)
1951 Jean-Marie Goasmat (Fra)
1950 Armand Audaire (Fra)
1949 Marcel Dussault (Fra)
1948 Marcel Dussault (Fra)
1947 Albert Bourlon (Fra)
1925 Deschamps (Fra)
1924 Marcel Bidot (Fra)
1923 Jean Brunier (Fra)
1922 Marcel Godart (Fra)
1917 Charles Juseret (Bel)
1913 Marceau Narcy (Fra)


Past winners by Mario Stiehl, www.world-of-cycling.com