Nacer Bouhanni swooped fast and last to overtake his FDJ-BigMat teammate and fellow neo pro Arnaud Demare in the shadow of the winning line to secure the biggest win of his career and continue the rapid progress he has made this season.
The 21-year-old from Epinal won the overall title at the Circuit de Lorraine earlier in the season and proved his versatility by prevailing in a mass sprint in atrocious conditions in Saint-Amand-les-Eaux on the French/Belgian border.
The result proves that the future of French cycling is in rude health, with Demare even younger than his conqueror at the age of just 20. He looked to have secured the victory with a finishing burst with less than 300 metres to go, which left initial attacker Jimmy Casper (AG2R-LaMondiale) floundering, but Bouhanni was tracking Demare all the way and clinched the title with a well-timed burst that broke the heart of his younger rival.
The 256km course took its toll on the field, which came home in several groups. The wind and rain that marred the majority of the northern European national championships certainly left its mark, with 56 riders abandoning.
With last year’s winner Sylvain Chavanel finishing well of the pace in 62nd position and 2010 champion Thomas Voeckler unable to defend his crown because of injury the race looked wide open. In the end the two youngsters fought out the finish, finishing ahead of Adrien Petit (Cofidis), Denis Flahaut (Roubaix Lille Metropole) and Sebastien Turgot (Europcar).
Results
| # | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nacer Bouhanni (FDJ-BigMat) | 5:42:43 |
| 2 | Arnaud Demare (FDJ-BigMat) | Row 1 - Cell 2 |
| 3 | Adrien Petit (Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne) | Row 2 - Cell 2 |
| 4 | Denis Flahaut (Roubaix Lille Metropole) | Row 3 - Cell 2 |
| 5 | Sébastien Turgot (Team Europcar) | Row 4 - Cell 2 |
| 6 | Jimmy Casper (Ag2R La Mondiale) | Row 5 - Cell 2 |
| 7 | Fabien Bacquet (Auber 93) | Row 6 - Cell 2 |
| 8 | Romain Feillu (Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling Team) | Row 7 - Cell 2 |
| 9 | Julien Simon (Saur-Sojasun) | Row 8 - Cell 2 |
| 10 | Maxime Le Montagner (Veranda Rideau-Super U) | Row 9 - Cell 2 |
| 11 | Samuel Dumoulin (Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne) | Row 10 - Cell 2 |
| 12 | Saïd Haddou (Team Europcar) | 0:00:02 |
| 13 | Mathieu Drujon (Auber 93) | Row 12 - Cell 2 |
| 14 | Alexandre Blain (Endura Racing) | Row 13 - Cell 2 |
| 15 | Justin Jules (Veranda Rideau-Super U) | Row 14 - Cell 2 |
| 16 | Fabien Schmidt (Roubaix Lille Metropole) | Row 15 - Cell 2 |
| 17 | Sébastien Hinault (Ag2R La Mondiale) | Row 16 - Cell 2 |
| 18 | Florian Vachon (Bretagne Schuller) | Row 17 - Cell 2 |
| 19 | Geoffrey Soupe (FDJ-BigMat) | 0:00:05 |
| 20 | Boris Zimine (Roubaix Lille Metropole) | Row 19 - Cell 2 |
| 21 | Laszlo Bodrogi (Team Type 1) | Row 20 - Cell 2 |
| 22 | Benoît Drujon (Auber 93) | Row 21 - Cell 2 |
| 23 | Rony Martias (Saur-Sojasun) | Row 22 - Cell 2 |
| 24 | Rémi Cusin (Team Type 1) | 0:00:06 |
| 25 | Steve Houanard (Ag2R La Mondiale) | Row 24 - Cell 2 |
| 26 | Jean Luc Delpech (Bretagne Schuller) | Row 25 - Cell 2 |
| 27 | Renaud Dion (Bretagne Schuller) | Row 26 - Cell 2 |
| 28 | Jérôme Pineau (Omega Pharma- QuickStep) | 0:00:09 |
| 29 | Sébastien Chavanel (Team Europcar) | Row 28 - Cell 2 |
| 30 | Yohann Gene (Team Europcar) | Row 29 - Cell 2 |
| 31 | Gaylord Cumont (Veranda Rideau-Super U) | 0:00:12 |
| 32 | Romain Matheou (Veranda Rideau-Super U) | Row 31 - Cell 2 |
| 33 | Loïc Desriac (Roubaix Lille Metropole) | Row 32 - Cell 2 |
| 34 | Arnaud Labbe (Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne) | 0:00:15 |
| 35 | Mathieu Delaroziere (La Pomme Marseille) | Row 34 - Cell 2 |
| 36 | Mickaël Buffaz (Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne) | Row 35 - Cell 2 |
| 37 | Alexandre Lemair (Bridgestone Anchor) | Row 36 - Cell 2 |
| 38 | Florent Barle (Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne) | Row 37 - Cell 2 |
| 39 | Rémy Di Gregorio (Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne) | Row 38 - Cell 2 |
| 40 | Alexandre Pichot (Team Europcar) | Row 39 - Cell 2 |
| 41 | Armindo Fonseca (Bretagne Schuller) | Row 40 - Cell 2 |
| 42 | Mikael Cherel (Ag2R La Mondiale) | Row 41 - Cell 2 |
| 43 | Cyril Gautier (Team Europcar) | Row 42 - Cell 2 |
| 44 | Benjamin Giraud (La Pomme Marseille) | Row 43 - Cell 2 |
| 45 | David Boucher (FDJ-BigMat) | 0:00:20 |
| 46 | César Bihel (Team Differdange - Magic - Sportfood. De) | 0:00:22 |
| 47 | Gaël Malacarne (Bretagne Schuller) | Row 46 - Cell 2 |
| 48 | William Bonnet (FDJ-BigMat) | 0:00:24 |
| 49 | Lloyd Mondory (Ag2R La Mondiale) | Row 48 - Cell 2 |
| 50 | Matthieu Ladagnous (FDJ-BigMat) | 0:00:27 |
| 51 | Angélo Tulik (Team Europcar) | 0:00:31 |
| 52 | Yannick Talabardon (Saur-Sojasun) | 0:01:04 |
| 53 | Guillaume Levarlet (Saur-Sojasun) | 0:01:06 |
| 54 | Maxime Bouet (Ag2R La Mondiale) | Row 53 - Cell 2 |
| 55 | Benoît Jarrier (Veranda Rideau-Super U) | Row 54 - Cell 2 |
| 56 | Christophe Riblon (Ag2R La Mondiale) | Row 55 - Cell 2 |
| 57 | Guillaume Malle (Veranda Rideau-Super U) | Row 56 - Cell 2 |
| 58 | Nicolas Baldo (Atlas Personal-Jakroo) | Row 57 - Cell 2 |
| 59 | Rudy Molard (Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne) | Row 58 - Cell 2 |
| 60 | Jimmy Engoulvent (Saur-Sojasun) | 0:01:08 |
| 61 | Geoffroy Lequatre (Bretagne Schuller) | 0:01:17 |
| 62 | Sylvain Chavanel (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) | Row 61 - Cell 2 |
| 63 | Christophe Laborie (Saur-Sojasun) | Row 62 - Cell 2 |
| 64 | Guillaume Bonnafond (Ag2R La Mondiale) | Row 63 - Cell 2 |
| 65 | Kévin Lalouette (Roubaix Lille Metropole) | 0:01:24 |
| 66 | Pierre - Luc Perichon (La Pomme Marseille) | Row 65 - Cell 2 |
| 67 | Matthieu Sprick (Team Argos-Shimano) | Row 66 - Cell 2 |
| 68 | Ronan Racault (Auber 93) | Row 67 - Cell 2 |
| 69 | Christophe Kern (Team Europcar) | 0:01:25 |
| 70 | Kévin Denis (Veranda Rideau-Super U) | Row 69 - Cell 2 |
| 71 | Anthony Delaplace (Saur-Sojasun) | Row 70 - Cell 2 |
| 72 | Julien Berard (Ag2R La Mondiale) | Row 71 - Cell 2 |
| 73 | Dimitri Champion (Bretagne Schuller) | Row 72 - Cell 2 |
| 74 | Romain Bardet (Ag2R La Mondiale) | Row 73 - Cell 2 |
| 75 | Morgan Kneisky (Roubaix Lille Metropole) | Row 74 - Cell 2 |
| 76 | Anthony Colin (Roubaix Lille Metropole) | Row 75 - Cell 2 |
| 77 | Jean Christophe Peraud (Ag2R La Mondiale) | 0:01:34 |
| 78 | Anthony Roux (FDJ-BigMat) | 0:01:40 |
| 79 | Jérémie Galland (Saur-Sojasun) | 0:01:42 |
| 80 | Pierre Rolland (Team Europcar) | 0:01:55 |
| 81 | Cédric Pineau (FDJ-BigMat) | 0:01:58 |
| 82 | Pierre Drancourt (Roubaix Lille Metropole) | Row 81 - Cell 2 |
| 83 | Julien Guay (Roubaix Lille Metropole) | Row 82 - Cell 2 |
| 84 | Hubert Dupont (Ag2R La Mondiale) | Row 83 - Cell 2 |
| 85 | Romain Lemarchand (Ag2R La Mondiale) | Row 84 - Cell 2 |
| 86 | Yohann Bagot (Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne) | Row 85 - Cell 2 |
| 87 | Jean - Eudes Demaret (Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne) | Row 86 - Cell 2 |
| 88 | Flavien Dassonville (Auber 93) | Row 87 - Cell 2 |
| 89 | Arnaud Courteille (FDJ-BigMat) | Row 88 - Cell 2 |
| 90 | Franck Vermeulen (Veranda Rideau - Super U) | Row 89 - Cell 2 |
| 91 | Jonathan Thire (Auber 93) | Row 90 - Cell 2 |
| 92 | Sébastien Minard (Ag2R La Mondiale) | 0:02:51 |
| 93 | Jérémy Roy (FDJ-BigMat) | 0:03:08 |
| 94 | Julien Fouchard (Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne) | 0:03:33 |
| 95 | Guillaume Blot (Bretagne Schuller) | 0:04:32 |
| 96 | Francis Mourey (FDJ-BigMat) | 0:05:27 |
| 97 | Rémi Pauriol (FDJ-BigMat) | Row 96 - Cell 2 |
| 98 | Matthieu Boulo (Roubaix Lille Metropole) | Row 97 - Cell 2 |
| 99 | Arthur Vichot (FDJ-BigMat) | Row 98 - Cell 2 |
| 100 | Stéphane Poulhies (Saur-Sojasun) | 0:05:35 |
| 101 | Anthony Geslin (FDJ-BigMat) | 0:05:42 |
| 102 | Pierrick Fedrigo (FDJ-BigMat) | Row 101 - Cell 2 |
| 103 | Perrig Quemeneur (Team Europcar) | 0:06:23 |
| 104 | Kévin Reza (Team Europcar) | Row 103 - Cell 2 |
| 105 | Vincent Jerome (Team Europcar) | Row 104 - Cell 2 |
| 106 | Romain Bacon (Auber 93) | 0:07:39 |
| 107 | Steve Chainel (FDJ-BigMat) | Row 106 - Cell 2 |
| 108 | Arnaud Gerard (FDJ-BigMat) | 0:08:57 |
| 109 | Tristan Valentin (Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne) | Row 108 - Cell 2 |
| 110 | Giovanni Bernaudeau (Team Europcar) | Row 109 - Cell 2 |
| 111 | Blel Kadri (Ag2R La Mondiale) | Row 110 - Cell 2 |
| 112 | Nicolas Edet (Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne) | 0:10:59 |
| 113 | Nicolas Vogondy (Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne) | Row 112 - Cell 2 |
| 114 | Johan Le Bon (Bretagne Schuller) | Row 113 - Cell 2 |
| 115 | Mathieu Halleguen (Bretagne Schuller) | Row 114 - Cell 2 |
| 116 | Blaise Sonnery (Bridgestone Anchor) | Row 115 - Cell 2 |
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