Voeckler victorious at Cholet-Pays De Loire with late attack
French champion pleases home crowd
Thomas Voeckler (Europcar) has won the second leg of the French Cup, the 24th GP Cholet-Pays de Loire, less than 50 kilometres away from his home in Vendée.
The French champion anticipated the bunch sprint by breaking away solo just before the 3km to go mark. He gained a 10-second lead and barely held off a charging peloton at the finish line. It was a fully French podium with young guns Tony Gallopin (Cofidis) and Benjamin Giraud from the new Continental team La Pomme-Marseille taking second and third place.
"After my two stage wins at Paris-Nice, I realized yesterday at the Classic Loire-Atlantique that it was difficult to win with the benchmark of race favourite," Voeckler said in Cholet. "In the evening I spoke to Anthony Charteau who told me 'if you're marked so much, just wait for the last three kilometres'."
Voeckler followed the advice of his teammate who has been sidelined since he dislocated his shoulder at the Tour of South Africa. Charteau, who was the king of the mountains at last year's Tour de France, will resume racing at the Criterium International next week while Voeckler will battle in Belgium at the GP E3.
"I had my tactic in mind and I didn't change," Voeckler said. "I felt the crowd behind me and it helped me drastically."
But the crowd expressed their displeasure with the French champion's obligation to wear the white jersey as leader of the UCI Europe Tour rather than his iconic blue-white-red national champion's jersey. Gilles Bourdouleix, the mayor of Cholet, who is also Tour de France director Christian Prudhomme's brother-in-law, commented on the issue. "This is an insult to our national colours, they should be respected," he said.
However, the GP Cholet-Pays de Loire was another popular success with big crowds on the roadsides in the vineyards of the Anjou region. There was a long-lasting breakaway with Rafal Majka (Saxo Bank SunGard), Frederik Veuchelen (Vacansoleil-DCM), Cédric Pineau (FDJ), Jérôme Cousin (Team Europcar), Jimmy Casper (Saur-Sojasun), Johannes Frohlinger (Skil-Shimano), Preben Van Hecke (TopSport Vlaanderen) and Armindo Fonseca and Laurent Pichon (Bretagne Schuller).
Van Hecke crossed each of the categorised climbs in first position to secure the mountain price victory. The peloton allowed them a maximum lead of 5:30 but their advantage went down to two minutes at the beginning of the last hour of racing under the action of Cofidis, who didn't have a rider in the break.
With 20km to go, soon after the regrouping, Yukiya Arashiro (Europcar) and Pieter Jacobs (TopSport Vlaanderen) attacked. The pair stayed away for 15 kilometres with the Belgian resisting the peloton longer than his breakaway companion. Moments after Jacobs was absorbed Voeckler launched his spectacular and decisive attack.
1 | Thomas Voeckler (Fra) Team Europcar | 4:49:36 |
2 | Tony Gallopin (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne | Row 1 - Cell 2 |
3 | Benjamin Giraud (Fra) Velo-Club La Pomme Marseille | Row 2 - Cell 2 |
4 | Mathieu Drujon (Fra) Big Mat - Auber 93 | Row 3 - Cell 2 |
5 | Stéphane Poulhies (Fra) Saur - Sojasun | Row 4 - Cell 2 |
6 | James Vanlandschoot (Bel) Veranda's Willems - Accent | Row 5 - Cell 2 |
7 | Jean-Luc Delpech (Fra) Bretagne - Schuller | Row 6 - Cell 2 |
8 | Egoitz Garcia Echeguibel (Spa) Caja Rural | Row 7 - Cell 2 |
9 | Fabien Bacquet (Fra) Big Mat - Auber 93 | Row 8 - Cell 2 |
10 | Romain Hardy (Fra) Bretagne - Schuller | Row 9 - Cell 2 |
11 | Jonas Aaen Jörgensen (Den) Saxo Bank Sungard | Row 10 - Cell 2 |
12 | Saïd Haddou (Fra) Team Europcar | Row 11 - Cell 2 |
13 | Pim Ligthart (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | Row 12 - Cell 2 |
14 | Thierry Hupond (Fra) Skil - Shimano | Row 13 - Cell 2 |
15 | Geert Steurs (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator | Row 14 - Cell 2 |
16 | Staf Scheirlinckx (Bel) Veranda's Willems - Accent | Row 15 - Cell 2 |
17 | Gregory Habeaux (Bel) Veranda's Willems - Accent | Row 16 - Cell 2 |
18 | Adrien Petit (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne | Row 17 - Cell 2 |
19 | Arnaud Labbe (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne | Row 18 - Cell 2 |
20 | Alexandre Pichot (Fra) Team Europcar | Row 19 - Cell 2 |
21 | Davy Commeyne (Bel) Landbouwkrediet | Row 20 - Cell 2 |
22 | Pieter Jacobs (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator | Row 21 - Cell 2 |
23 | Laurent Didier (Lux) Saxo Bank Sungard | Row 22 - Cell 2 |
24 | Anthony Geslin (Fra) FDJ | Row 23 - Cell 2 |
25 | Romain Lemarchand (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 24 - Cell 2 |
26 | Geert Verheyen (Bel) Landbouwkrediet | Row 25 - Cell 2 |
27 | Guillaume Levarlet (Fra) Saur - Sojasun | Row 26 - Cell 2 |
28 | Pieter Vanspeybrouck (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator | Row 27 - Cell 2 |
29 | Justin Jules (Fra) Velo-Club La Pomme Marseille | Row 28 - Cell 2 |
30 | Sébastien Delfosse (Bel) Landbouwkrediet | Row 29 - Cell 2 |
31 | Sergey Lagutin (Uzb) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | Row 30 - Cell 2 |
32 | Julien Berard (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 31 - Cell 2 |
33 | Jimmy Engoulvent (Fra) Saur - Sojasun | Row 32 - Cell 2 |
34 | Koen Barbe (Bel) Landbouwkrediet | Row 33 - Cell 2 |
35 | Johan Mombaerts (Fra) Big Mat - Auber 93 | Row 34 - Cell 2 |
36 | Jérémy Roy (Fra) FDJ | Row 35 - Cell 2 |
37 | Mickael Delage (Fra) FDJ | Row 36 - Cell 2 |
38 | Martijn Keizer (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | Row 37 - Cell 2 |
39 | Maxime Mederel (Fra) Big Mat - Auber 93 | Row 38 - Cell 2 |
40 | Cédric Pineau (Fra) FDJ | Row 39 - Cell 2 |
41 | Sander Armee (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator | Row 40 - Cell 2 |
42 | Matthieu Sprick (Fra) Skil - Shimano | Row 41 - Cell 2 |
43 | Marcello Pavarin (Ita) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | Row 42 - Cell 2 |
44 | Julien Guay (Fra) Roubaix Lille Metropole | Row 43 - Cell 2 |
45 | Toms Skujinš (Lat) Velo-Club La Pomme Marseille | Row 44 - Cell 2 |
46 | Dimitri Le Boulch (Fra) Big Mat - Auber 93 | Row 45 - Cell 2 |
47 | Bert De Waele (Bel) Landbouwkrediet | Row 46 - Cell 2 |
48 | Stéphane Bonsergent (Fra) Bretagne - Schuller | Row 47 - Cell 2 |
49 | Jonathan Patrick McCarty (USA) Team Spidertech Powered By C10 | Row 48 - Cell 2 |
50 | Jérôme Baugnies (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator | Row 49 - Cell 2 |
51 | Johan Coenen (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator | Row 50 - Cell 2 |
52 | Matthieu Boulo (Fra) Roubaix Lille Metropole | Row 51 - Cell 2 |
53 | Bert Scheirlinckx (Bel) Landbouwkrediet | Row 52 - Cell 2 |
54 | Yukiya Arashiro (Jpn) Team Europcar | Row 53 - Cell 2 |
55 | Thomas Degand (Bel) Veranda's Willems - Accent | Row 54 - Cell 2 |
56 | Yohann Gene (Fra) Team Europcar | Row 55 - Cell 2 |
57 | Sébastien Duret (Fra) Bretagne - Schuller | Row 56 - Cell 2 |
58 | Cyril Lemoine (Fra) Saur - Sojasun | Row 57 - Cell 2 |
59 | Will Routley (Can) Team Spidertech Powered By C10 | Row 58 - Cell 2 |
60 | Julien Loubet (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 59 - Cell 2 |
61 | Yohan Cauquil (Fra) Velo-Club La Pomme Marseille | Row 60 - Cell 2 |
62 | Kevin Lalouette (Fra) Roubaix Lille Metropole | Row 61 - Cell 2 |
63 | Loïc Desriac (Fra) Roubaix Lille Metropole | Row 62 - Cell 2 |
64 | Johannes Fröhlinger (Ger) Skil - Shimano | Row 63 - Cell 2 |
65 | Luke Roberts (Aus) Saxo Bank Sungard | 0:00:13 |
66 | Frédéric Amorison (Bel) Landbouwkrediet | 0:00:17 |
67 | Dimitri Champion (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | 0:00:19 |
68 | Florian Vachon (Fra) Bretagne - Schuller | Row 67 - Cell 2 |
69 | Pierrick Fedrigo (Fra) FDJ | 0:00:22 |
70 | Rob Ruijgh (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | 0:00:30 |
71 | Arnoud Van Groen (Ned) Veranda's Willems - Accent | Row 70 - Cell 2 |
72 | Damien Gaudin (Fra) Team Europcar | 0:00:42 |
73 | Yann Huguet (Fra) Skil - Shimano | 0:00:49 |
74 | Frédéric Guesdon (Fra) FDJ | 0:00:58 |
75 | Jonathan Hivert (Fra) Saur - Sojasun | 0:01:02 |
76 | Manuele Boaro (Ita) Saxo Bank Sungard | 0:03:36 |
77 | Preben Van Hecke (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator | 0:03:39 |
78 | Mads Christensen (Den) Saxo Bank Sungard | 0:04:43 |
79 | Jaroslaw Marycz (Pol) Saxo Bank Sungard | Row 78 - Cell 2 |
80 | Thomas Vernaeckt (Bel) Veranda's Willems - Accent | Row 79 - Cell 2 |
81 | Jurgen Van Goolen (Bel) Veranda's Willems - Accent | Row 80 - Cell 2 |
82 | Flavio De Luna (Mex) Team Spidertech Powered By C10 | Row 81 - Cell 2 |
83 | Jerome Coppel (Fra) Saur - Sojasun | Row 82 - Cell 2 |
84 | Jimmy Casper (Fra) Saur - Sojasun | Row 83 - Cell 2 |
85 | Julien Fouchard (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne | Row 84 - Cell 2 |
86 | Jean Marc Marino (Fra) Saur - Sojasun | Row 85 - Cell 2 |
87 | Steve Houanard (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 86 - Cell 2 |
88 | Marcel Kittel (Ger) Skil - Shimano | Row 87 - Cell 2 |
89 | Guillemo Lana Baquedano (Spa) Caja Rural | Row 88 - Cell 2 |
90 | Alexander Riabkin (Rus) Caja Rural | Row 89 - Cell 2 |
91 | Daniel Diaz (Arg) Velo-Club La Pomme Marseille | Row 90 - Cell 2 |
92 | Ruben Reig Conejero (Spa) Caja Rural | Row 91 - Cell 2 |
93 | Joaquin Sobrino (Spa) Caja Rural | Row 92 - Cell 2 |
94 | Frederik Veuchelen (Bel) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | Row 93 - Cell 2 |
95 | Kristof Goddaert (Bel) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 94 - Cell 2 |
96 | Steven Tronet (Fra) Roubaix Lille Metropole | Row 95 - Cell 2 |
97 | Yukihiro Doi (Jpn) Skil - Shimano | 0:05:49 |
98 | Giovanni Bernaudeau (Fra) Team Europcar | Row 97 - Cell 2 |
99 | Thomas Damuseau (Fra) Skil - Shimano | 0:05:51 |
100 | Anthony Colin (Fra) Roubaix Lille Metropole | Row 99 - Cell 2 |
101 | Florian Le Corre (Fra) Roubaix Lille Metropole | 0:08:27 |
102 | Olivier Bonnaire (Fra) FDJ | 0:09:58 |
103 | Arnaud Courteille (Fra) FDJ | 0:12:36 |
104 | Ruben Martinez (Spa) Caja Rural | 0:12:53 |
105 | Garikoitz Bravo Oiarbide (Spa) Caja Rural | Row 104 - Cell 2 |
106 | Jerome Cousin (Fra) Team Europcar | 0:14:18 |
107 | Thomas Bonnin (Fra) Skil - Shimano | Row 106 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Steven Van Vooren (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator | Row 107 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Reinier Honig (Ned) Landbouwkrediet | Row 108 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Eric Berthou (Fra) Bretagne - Schuller | Row 109 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Armindo Fonseca (Fra) Bretagne - Schuller | Row 110 - Cell 2 |
DNF | David Boily (Can) Team Spidertech Powered by C10 | Row 111 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Bruno Langlois (Can) Team Spidertech Powered by C10 | Row 112 - Cell 2 |
DNF | John Gadret (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 113 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Arnaud Molmy (Fra) Big Mat - Auber 93 | Row 114 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Jonathan Thire (Fra) Big Mat - Auber 93 | Row 115 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Evaldas Siskevicius (Ltu) Velo Club La Pomme-Marseille | Row 116 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Guillaume Faucon (Fra) Big Mat - Auber 93 | Row 117 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Lieuwe Westra (Ned) Vacansoleil - DCM Procycling Team | Row 118 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Rafal Majka (Pol) Saxo Bank SunGard | Row 119 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Damien Monier (Fra) Cofidis le Crédit en Ligne | Row 120 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Jean Eudes Demaret (Fra) Cofidis le Crédit en Ligne | Row 121 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Thomas Vaubourzeix (Fra) Velo Club La Pomme-Marseille | Row 122 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Lucas Euser (USA) Team Spidertech Powered by C10 | Row 123 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Oleg Chuzhda (Ukr) Caja Rural | Row 124 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Laurent Pichon (Fra) Bretagne - Schuller | Row 125 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Cyril Dessel (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 126 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Yohan Bagot (Fra) Cofidis le Crédit en Ligne | Row 127 - Cell 2 |
DNS | Gorik Gardeyn (Bel) Vacansoleil - DCM Procycling Team | Row 128 - Cell 2 |
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