Démare makes it three in a row for FDJ.fr

Arnaud Démare kept the blue, white and red jersey in the camp of FDJ.fr as he outsprinted his own teammate Nacer Bouhanni. Europcar's Kevin Reza, who originates from the Caribbean islands, finished third to form a symbolic podium showcasing the diversity of the French population. During the soccer World Cup, it's common to highlight the "black-blanc-beur France", which means a multi-racial mix of black, white and Arab people, but such diversity also happened today far away from Brazil in the traditional Poitou region which was hosting road nationals.

"It's really exceptional," Démare said. "Two years ago, Nacer and I finished first and second in the opposite order. We've raced for a bunch sprint finish. We were two sprinters in the team with the same desire of being French champion. Nacer's victories at the Giro d'Italia have boosted me. I understand what he feels now. Two years ago, I was also disappointed to come second but I only had six months of being a pro behind me."

The rivalry between Démare and Bouhanni reached its peak in the only race of the year in which they were supposed to compete in together, only a few days after Bouhanni announced his almost certain departure from FDJ.fr - probably to Cofidis - and was denied a start at the Tour de France.

"Beyond the result, I retain that we had the two best sprinters in the peloton," team manager Marc Madiot said. "I enjoyed the spirit of sacrifice and team work today. I told the riders in the meeting that we all owe that to the four-leaf clover [the emblem of the French lottery] that has supported us for 18 years so far. We had to show more than just an advertising board. Démare and Bouhanni are both great riders. As long as they're on my team, I have the same consideration for all my guys."

As the president of the French professional cycling league, Madiot was called on stage to reward the winners. "He told me that whatever happens in the future, he's proud to have had me in his team," said Bouhanni, who didn't have many offers to turn pro three years ago.

"The team has done a superb work all day today," Bouhanni said. "But I felt less strong than one week ago. At the Route du Sud, I was stronger than at the Giro, but today I stalled and Arnaud was stronger than me, I have to admit it. The one-two finish is wonderful for the team but personally I'm very disappointed."

Two years ago on the dead flat circuit of Saint-Amand-les-Eaux, the FDJ team kept the peloton under control for the whole race, but this time around, they had to chase breakaways all day, especially the first one containing 21 riders, including Thomas Voeckler.

"We had an attacking team, so we wanted to create moves," said Reza. "Thomas got caught with one lap to go, but we didn't manage to overtake FDJ in the finale. We've lost against to a team stronger than us. In the sprint, we had some hopes with Bryan Coquard but I think he lost my wheel in a crash with 1.5km to go. The two sprinters from FDJ were untouchable. It's kind of a surprise for me to come third. I'm not a pure specialist of sprinting. I'd like to be given my chance a bit more often."

Once again, Cofidis missed out on the podium, with Julien Simon crossing the line in fourth position. In 18 years of existence like FDJ, they've never won the French championship, but they strongly hope to attract Bouhanni for better results in the future.

Results

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Elite men
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Arnaud Démare (FDJ.fr)5:44:48
2Nacer Bouhanni (FDJ.fr)Row 1 - Cell 2
3Kévin Réza (Team Europcar)Row 2 - Cell 2
4Julien Simon (Cofidis, Solutions Crédits)Row 3 - Cell 2
5Maxime Daniel (AG2R La Mondiale)Row 4 - Cell 2
6Sébastien Hinault (IAM Cycling)Row 5 - Cell 2
7Sylvain Chavanel (IAM Cycling)Row 6 - Cell 2
8Adrien Petit (Cofidis, Solutions Crédits)Row 7 - Cell 2
9Stéphane Poulhies (Cofidis, Solutions Crédits)Row 8 - Cell 2
10Tony Gallopin (Lotto Belisol)Row 9 - Cell 2
11Jonathan Hivert (Belkin-Pro Cycling Team)Row 10 - Cell 2
12Warren Barguil (Team Giant-Shimano)Row 11 - Cell 2
13Armindo Fonseca (Bretagne - Séché Environnement)Row 12 - Cell 2
14Anthony Delaplace (Bretagne - Séché Environnement)Row 13 - Cell 2
15Geoffrey Soupe (FDJ.fr)Row 14 - Cell 2
16Rudy Molard (Cofidis, Solutions Crédits)0:00:04
17Mickaël Delage (FDJ.fr)Row 16 - Cell 2
18Martin Clement Saint (Team La Pomme Marseille 13)Row 17 - Cell 2
19Guillaume Levarlet (Cofidis, Solutions Crédits)0:00:06
20Yoann Offredo (FDJ.fr)Row 19 - Cell 2
21Julien Duval (Roubaix Lille Métropole)0:00:08
22Anthony Roux (FDJ.fr)0:00:10
23Christophe Le Mével (Cofidis, Solutions Crédits)Row 22 - Cell 2
24Yohann Gene (Team Europcar)0:00:12
25Laurent Pichon (FDJ.fr)Row 24 - Cell 2
26Christophe Riblon (AG2R La Mondiale)Row 25 - Cell 2
27Sébastien Turgot (AG2R La Mondiale)Row 26 - Cell 2
28Rémy Di Gregorio (Team La Pomme Marseille 13)0:00:17
29Theo Vimpere (BigMat - Auber 93)0:00:21
30Morgan Kneisky (Team Raleigh)Row 29 - Cell 2
31Maxime Bouet (AG2R La Mondiale)0:00:23
32John Gadret (Movistar Team)Row 31 - Cell 2
33Christophe Laborie (Bretagne - Séché Environnement)Row 32 - Cell 2
34Romain Hardy (Cofidis, Solutions Crédits)0:00:29
35Bryan Coquard (Team Europcar)0:00:33
36Sébastien Minard (AG2R La Mondiale)0:00:39
37Romain Bardet (AG2R La Mondiale)Row 36 - Cell 2
38Cyril Gautier (Team Europcar)Row 37 - Cell 2
39César Bihel (Team Differdange - Losch)0:01:04
40Francis Mourey (FDJ.fr)Row 39 - Cell 2
41Flavien Dassonville (BigMat - Auber 93)0:01:40
42Jean-Christophe Peraud (AG2R La Mondiale)Row 41 - Cell 2
43Matthieu Ladagnous (FDJ.fr)0:01:43
44Arthur Vichot (FDJ.fr)Row 43 - Cell 2
45Romain Feillu (Bretagne - Séché Environnement)0:01:46
46Stephane Rossetto (BigMat - Auber 93)Row 45 - Cell 2
47Yoann Bagot (Cofidis, Solutions Crédits)0:02:00
48Pierre Gouault (BigMat - Auber 93)0:02:11
49Julien Antomarchi (Team La Pomme Marseille 13)0:02:13
50Julien El Fares (Team La Pomme Marseille 13)Row 49 - Cell 2
51Pierrick Fedrigo (FDJ.fr)0:02:58
52Jean Marc Bideau (Bretagne - Séché Environnement)Row 51 - Cell 2
53Jérome Pineau (IAM Cycling)0:04:05
54Julien Fouchard (Cofidis, Solutions Crédits)Row 53 - Cell 2
55Thomas Voeckler (Team Europcar)0:04:07
56Cyril Lemoine (Cofidis, Solutions Crédits)0:06:33
57Jérome Coppel (Cofidis, Solutions Crédits)Row 56 - Cell 2
58Cédric Pineau (FDJ.fr)0:06:41
59Anthony Geslin (FDJ.fr)Row 58 - Cell 2
60Jérémy Roy (FDJ.fr)Row 59 - Cell 2
61Benoit Vaugrenard (FDJ.fr)Row 60 - Cell 2
62Arnold Jeannesson (FDJ.fr)Row 61 - Cell 2
63Rudy Barbier (Roubaix Lille Métropole)Row 62 - Cell 2
64Florian Senechal (Cofidis, Solutions Crédits)Row 63 - Cell 2
65Romain Lemarchand (Cofidis, Solutions Crédits)Row 64 - Cell 2
66Matthieu Boulo (Team Raleigh)Row 65 - Cell 2
67Jimmy Turgis (Roubaix Lille Métropole)Row 66 - Cell 2
68Samuel Dumoulin (AG2R La Mondiale)Row 67 - Cell 2
69Steve Chainel (AG2R La Mondiale)Row 68 - Cell 2
70Florian Vachon (Bretagne - Séché Environnement)Row 69 - Cell 2
71Blel Kadri (AG2R La Mondiale)0:06:44
72Thomas Rostollan (Team La Pomme Marseille 13)Row 71 - Cell 2
73Brice Feillu (Bretagne - Séché Environnement)Row 72 - Cell 2
74Lloyd Mondory (AG2R La Mondiale)Row 73 - Cell 2
75Hubert Dupont (AG2R La Mondiale)Row 74 - Cell 2
76Alexandre Pichot (Team Europcar)Row 75 - Cell 2
77Benjamin Giraud (Team La Pomme Marseille 13)Row 76 - Cell 2
78Florian Guillou (Bretagne - Séché Environnement)Row 77 - Cell 2
79Romain Sicard (Team Europcar)Row 78 - Cell 2
80Christophe Kern (Team Europcar)Row 79 - Cell 2
81Angelo Tulik (Team Europcar)Row 80 - Cell 2
82Tony Hurel (Team Europcar)Row 81 - Cell 2
83Clément Chevrier (Bissell Development Team)0:09:12
84Pierre Moncorge (FireFighters Upsala CK)Row 83 - Cell 2
85Thomas Damuseau (Team Giant-Shimano)Row 84 - Cell 2
86Julien Bérard (AG2R La Mondiale)Row 85 - Cell 2
87Steven Tronet (BigMat - Auber 93)0:12:10
88Christophe Laporte (Cofidis, Solutions Crédits)0:15:45
89Julian Alaphilippe (Omega Pharma - Quick-Step)0:15:47
DNFGrégoire Tarride (Team La Pomme Marseille 13)Row 89 - Cell 2
DNFThomas Vaubourzeix (Team La Pomme Marseille 13)Row 90 - Cell 2
DNFYoann Paillot (Team La Pomme Marseille 13)Row 91 - Cell 2
DNFDamien Garcia (Team Differdange - Losch)Row 92 - Cell 2
DNFJustin Jules (Team La Pomme Marseille 13)Row 93 - Cell 2
DNFBenjamin Le Montagner (Bretagne - Séché Environnement)Row 94 - Cell 2
DNFErwann Corbel (Bretagne - Séché Environnement)Row 95 - Cell 2
DNFArnaud Gerard (Bretagne - Séché Environnement)Row 96 - Cell 2
DNFFrederic Brun (BigMat - Auber 93)Row 97 - Cell 2
DNFClément Venturini (Cofidis, Solutions Crédits)Row 98 - Cell 2
DNFPierre-Luc Perichon (Bretagne - Séché Environnement)Row 99 - Cell 2
DNFMaxime Renault (BigMat - Auber 93)Row 100 - Cell 2
DNFDimitri Le Boulch (BigMat - Auber 93)Row 101 - Cell 2
DNFWilliam Bonnet (FDJ.fr)Row 102 - Cell 2
DNFYannis Yssaad (BigMat - Auber 93)Row 103 - Cell 2
DNFQuentin Jauregui (Roubaix Lille Métropole)Row 104 - Cell 2
DNFFranck Vermeulen (Roubaix Lille Métropole)Row 105 - Cell 2
DNFRomain Pillon (Roubaix Lille Métropole)Row 106 - Cell 2
DNFThierry Hupond (Team Giant-Shimano)Row 107 - Cell 2
DNFYannick Martinez (Team Europcar)Row 108 - Cell 2
DNFDamien Monier (Bridgestone Anchor Cycling Team)Row 109 - Cell 2
DNFNicolas Edet (Cofidis, Solutions Crédits)Row 110 - Cell 2
DNFNicolas Baldo (Team Vorarlberg)Row 111 - Cell 2
DNFJean-Marc Marino (Cannondale)Row 112 - Cell 2
DNFBenoit Jarrier (Bretagne - Séché Environnement)Row 113 - Cell 2
DNFFabrice Jeandesboz (Team Europcar)Row 114 - Cell 2
DNFJérôme Cousin (Team Europcar)Row 115 - Cell 2
DNFAlexandre Blain (Team Raleigh)Row 116 - Cell 2
DNFArnaud Courteille (FDJ.fr)Row 117 - Cell 2
DNFSébastien Chavanel (FDJ.fr)Row 118 - Cell 2
DNFKenny Elissonde (FDJ.fr)Row 119 - Cell 2
DNFJohan Le Bon (FDJ.fr)Row 120 - Cell 2
DNFAlexandre Geniez (FDJ.fr)Row 121 - Cell 2
DNFLaurent Mangel (FDJ.fr)Row 122 - Cell 2
DNFPierre-Henri Lecuisinier (FDJ.fr)Row 123 - Cell 2
DNFGiovanni Bernaudeau (Team Europcar)Row 124 - Cell 2
DNFJérémy Bescond (Cofidis, Solutions Crédits)Row 125 - Cell 2
DNFRomain Guillemois (Team Europcar)Row 126 - Cell 2
DNFVincent Jerome (Team Europcar)Row 127 - Cell 2
DNFAlexis Gougeard (AG2R La Mondiale)Row 128 - Cell 2
DNFAlexis Guerin (Etixx)Row 129 - Cell 2
DNFMorgan Lamoisson (Team Europcar)Row 130 - Cell 2
DNFPierre Rolland (Team Europcar)Row 131 - Cell 2
DNFPerrig Quemeneur (Team Europcar)Row 132 - Cell 2
DNFMaxime Mederel (Team Europcar)Row 133 - Cell 2
DNFDamien Gaudin (AG2R La Mondiale)Row 134 - Cell 2
DNFAxel Domont (AG2R La Mondiale)Row 135 - Cell 2
DNFGuillaume Bonnafond (AG2R La Mondiale)Row 136 - Cell 2
DNFJimmy Engoulvent (Team Europcar)Row 137 - Cell 2
DNFAlexis Vuillermoz (AG2R La Mondiale)Row 138 - Cell 2
DNFBryan Nauleau (Team Europcar)Row 139 - Cell 2

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