Vichot wins French title

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Arthur Vichot ensured that the FDJ team retained the French national title, taking victory with a well-timed and well-executed late attack.

Vichot spent close 245km at the front of the race that covered a section of the dirt road used in the Tro Bro Leon race and then surged away from Sylvain Chavanel (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) inside the final kilometre. Tony Gallopin (Radioshack-Leopard) was also in the decisive attack of the race and finished third, a few second back.

“To wear the red, white and blue jersey during the 100th Tour de France that will be held completely in France is going to be exceptional," Vichot said, knowing the French title secured his place in the FDJ team. 

“It was kind of my role to be one of the potential winners taking part in the early move”, the 24 year old explained. “It’s also part of my job to follow the instructions. We had the numbers at the start [there were 24 riders for FDJ, 23 for Europcar and 21 for Sojasun in the race]. It was a good option for the team to have me and William [Bonnet] at the front."

"245 kilometres, it’s quite long. I’ve had time to go through different feelings. I didn’t see it as a sacrifice. As I’m pretty bad in cyclo-cross and riding on cobbles, it was better for me to be ahead.”

The FDJ riders wanted to win for their directeur sportif Marc and Yvon Madiot, whose father passed away on Friday at the age of 82. Both went back to their hometown of Renazé and were not at the race.

“It’s been strange to not hear Marc yelling at the team meeting on the eve of the race”, Vichot noted. “But we’ve had a different version in local language from Picardy [where assistant DS Martial Gayant is from]. As a rider, I don’t take myself very seriously. That’s how I am. I hope it’s my strength. But I came out of the Dauphiné very disappointed. Last year I had won a stage and not this year. I had to kick my ass in training. I had in my mind to come to the championship to win. Many of us did. But I suspect my last two rivals to have been less wary of me than each other because I had been away in the wind for a long time. I’ve tried to look like a dead man but it wasn’t easy.”

A big early breakaway

The big early break shaped the race. As well as Vichot and Bonnet, it included Jimmy Engoulvent, Jean-Lou Paiani and Maxime Médérel (Sojasun), Angelo Tulik and Sébastien Chavanel (Team Europcar), Steve Chainel (AG2R-La Mondiale), Stéphane Pouilhès (Cofidis), Renaud Dion (Bretagne-Séché Environnement) and Alexandre Blain (Raleigh). Their advantage went up to 10.15 at half way.

BigMat-Auber 93 and AG2R-La Mondiale initiated the chase but with 35km to go, Vichot attacked and took up the racing. He got caught in the last lap by Chavanel and then Gallopin as the chasers struggled to work together behind. With less than one kilometer, Vichot took a turn and opened an advantage of a few metres. As Chavanel and Gallopin watched each other, he accelerated and went on to win solo atop the rise to the finish.

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