Vichot wins French national road race

Arthur Vichot delivered FDJ’s fourth French national road race title in five years, and the second to his personal account after he pulled on the blue-white-red jersey three years ago between the reigns of Nacer Bouhanni and Arnaud Démare. On Sunday he succeeded Steven Tronet - who created an enormous surprise for Auber 93 last year - as he outsprinted breakaway companions Tony Gallopin (Lotto-Soudal) and Alexis Vuillermoz (AG2R-La Mondiale).

“[team manager] Marc Madiot told us at the pre race briefing that our favourite jersey had been borrowed for one year but we had to bring it back home”, Vichot said minutes after the finish in Vesoul.

“In the finale I played with the fact that I already won that race before at the difference of my two rivals. I didn’t look at them. I looked at the finishing line. It’s indescribable emotion after all the hiccups I faced since I last won the French championship.”

FDJ outnumbered the other teams in the 34 men leading group that took shape after the first lap with another 220km to go. Nine of them, Olivier Le Gac, Arnaud Démare, Benoît Vaugrenard, Sébastien Chavanel, Lorrenzo Manzin, Kevin Reza, Matthieu Ladagnous, Jérémy Roy and Cédric Pineau were accompanied by Jérémy Cornu, Tony Hurel, Thomas Voeckler, Bryan Nauleau, Lilian Calmejane, Bryan Coquard (Direct Energie), Jean-Marc Bideau, Arnaud Gérard, Cédric Delaplace, Julien Loubet, Pierre-Luc Périchon (Fortunéo-Vital Concept), Florian Sénéchal, Anthony Perez, Christophe Laporte, Clément Venturini, Cyril Lemoine, Jérôme Cousin (Cofidis), Leonardo Duque, Christophe Laborie (Delko-Marseille Provence), Alexis Gougeard, Hubert Dupont, Sébatien Minard, Pierre Latour, Jean-Christophe Peraud and Axel Domont (AG2R-La Mondiale).

All major teams were represented but not the continental squads who rode behind. Ladagnous, Périchon, Gougeard, Nauleau and Laporte forged on but most of the favourites came across. Vuillermoz, Gallopin and Vichot countered Julian Alaphilippe to ride away with 7km to go while Thibaut Pinot and Romain Bardet were marking each other. Alaphilippe didn’t manage to bridge the gap to the three escapees with Samuel Dumoulin (AG2R-La Mondiale) and Périchon on his wheel.

“For me it would have been the dream of my career to sprint for the win at a French championship”, said Dumoulin who was probably the fastest. “But all year long I campaign for team spirit so I wasn’t going to chase my team-mate and I couldn’t take the risk of bringing Alaphilippe to the line. I wasn’t 100% sure of beating him.”

“In an uphill sprint I could have challenged Vichot and Gallopin but a descending false flat like this wasn’t in my favor”, echoed Vuillermoz, “so I tried to take them by surprise at 300 metres but Tony saw me, Arthur also. I’m very disappointed to miss out on the title but after my crash at the Dauphiné I’m reassured about my condition ahead of the Tour de France.”

Probably the most disappointed of them all was Gallopin who was already second last year and third three years ago behind Vichot and Sylvain Chavanel. “I don’t think I’ve made any mistake”, said the Lotto-Soudal rider, who was once again isolated against well organized teams. “I’ve had a lot of disappointments in my career but this one tops the lot.”

“It had to be a tactical win especially against Alaphilippe who is impossible to follow on a short uphill, he’s really a Valverde type of rider”, commented Vichot who bounced back after a broken collarbone, a virus and a few tendonitis who hampered his career in the past two years.

“It might be egocentric to say that but after all the troubles I’ve experienced, I’m the rider who deserves this title the most. When I made the final top three at Paris-Nice with a stage win on the last day with my French champion jersey in 2014, I had reached a good level in the WorldTour but everything has gone wrong since. When I started this season, I said the most beautiful moment would be a win here at the French championship, it’s magic!”

Vichot hails from the Franche-Comté region where the race was held. So does Pinot who won the time trial on Thursday. “We couldn’t ask for more than these two titles this week on home soil”, Pinot declared. “We’ve got one jersey each. Everything is in place for the Tour.”

Full Results

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#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Arthur Vichot (Fra) FDJ6:13:38
2Tony Gallopin (Fra) Lotto SoudalRow 1 - Cell 2
3Alexis Vuillermoz (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 2 - Cell 2
4Samuel Dumoulin (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale0:00:12
5Julian Alaphilippe (Fra) Etixx - Quick-StepRow 4 - Cell 2
6Pierre-Luc Perichon (Fra) Fortuneo - Vital ConceptRow 5 - Cell 2
7Cyril Gautier (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale0:00:38
8Julien Antomarchi (Fra) Roubaix Metropole Europeenne De LilleRow 7 - Cell 2
9Nicolas Edet (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 8 - Cell 2
10Romain Bardet (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 9 - Cell 2
11Romain Sicard (Fra) Direct EnergieRow 10 - Cell 2
12Thibaut Pinot (Fra) FDJRow 11 - Cell 2
13Kenny Elissonde (Fra) FDJRow 12 - Cell 2
14Pierre Rolland (Fra) Cannondale Pro Cycling0:01:23
15Guillaume Levarlet (Fra) HP-BTP Auber 93Row 14 - Cell 2
16Christophe Riblon (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 15 - Cell 2
17Anthony Delaplace (Fra) Fortuneo - Vital ConceptRow 16 - Cell 2
18Matthieu Ladagnous (Fra) FDJRow 17 - Cell 2
19Julien Loubet (Fra) Fortuneo - Vital ConceptRow 18 - Cell 2
20Quentin Pacher (Fra) Delko Marseille Provence KTMRow 19 - Cell 2
21Kévin Reza (Fra) FDJRow 20 - Cell 2
22Yoann Offredo (Fra) FDJRow 21 - Cell 2
23Flavien Dassonville (Fra) HP-BTP Auber 93Row 22 - Cell 2
24Rémy Di Gregorio (Fra) Delko Marseille Provence KTMRow 23 - Cell 2
25Rudy Molard (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 24 - Cell 2
26Guillaume Martin (Fra) Wanty - Groupe GobertRow 25 - Cell 2
27Pierrick Fedrigo (Fra) Fortuneo - Vital ConceptRow 26 - Cell 2
28Bryan Coquard (Fra) Direct EnergieRow 27 - Cell 2
29Yoann Barbas (Fra) Armee de TerreRow 28 - Cell 2
30Florian Vachon (Fra) Fortuneo - Vital ConceptRow 29 - Cell 2
31François Bidard (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 30 - Cell 2
32Hubert Dupont (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 31 - Cell 2
33Warren Barguil (Fra) Team Giant-AlpecinRow 32 - Cell 2
34Brice Feillu (Fra) Fortuneo - Vital ConceptRow 33 - Cell 2
35Anthony Roux (Fra) FDJRow 34 - Cell 2
36Francis Mourey (Fra) Fortuneo - Vital ConceptRow 35 - Cell 2
37Arnold Jeannesson (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 36 - Cell 2
38Maxime Bouet (Fra) Etixx - Quick-StepRow 37 - Cell 2
39Anthony Turgis (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits0:01:45
40Jerome Cousin (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits0:01:48
41Thomas Voeckler (Fra) Direct Energie0:01:50
42Julien Bernard (Fra) Trek-Segafredo0:01:56
43Jerome Coppel (Fra) IAM CyclingRow 42 - Cell 2
44Jimmy Turgis (Fra) Roubaix Metropole Europeenne De Lille0:02:47
45Pierre Moncorge (Fra) Bliz - Merida Pro CyclingRow 44 - Cell 2
46Anthony Perez (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 45 - Cell 2
47Cédric Pineau (Fra) FDJRow 46 - Cell 2
48Armindo Fonseca (Fra) Fortuneo - Vital ConceptRow 47 - Cell 2
49Jerome Mainard (Fra) Armee de TerreRow 48 - Cell 2
50Laurent Pichon (Fra) FDJRow 49 - Cell 2
51Romain Combaud (Fra) Delko Marseille Provence KTMRow 50 - Cell 2
52Matthieu Boulo (Fra) Team Raleigh GacRow 51 - Cell 2
53Pierre-Roger Latour (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 52 - Cell 2
54Stéphane Rossetto (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 53 - Cell 2
55Brian Nauleau (Fra) Direct EnergieRow 54 - Cell 2
56Rayane Bouhanni (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits0:03:59
57Frédéric Brun (Fra) Fortuneo - Vital ConceptRow 56 - Cell 2
58Damien Gaudin (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale0:05:29
59Steven Tronet (Fra) Fortuneo - Vital ConceptRow 58 - Cell 2
60Yann Guyot (Fra) Armee de Terre0:05:36
61Clement Chevrier (Fra) IAM CyclingRow 60 - Cell 2
62Damien Garcia (Fra) Stradalli - Bike Aid0:06:24
63Biel Kadri (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale0:06:37
64Angelo Tulik (Fra) Direct EnergieRow 63 - Cell 2
65Axel Domont (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 64 - Cell 2
66Thierry Hupond (Fra) Delko Marseille Provence KTMRow 65 - Cell 2
67Jérémy Roy (Fra) FDJRow 66 - Cell 2
68Sylvain Chavanel (Fra) Direct EnergieRow 67 - Cell 2
69Jean-Christophe Peraud (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 68 - Cell 2
70Fabrice Jeandesboz (Fra) Direct Energie0:07:48
71Jimmy Raibaud (Fra) Armee de Terre0:09:33
72Perrig Quemeneur (Fra) Direct EnergieRow 71 - Cell 2
73Benjamin Thomas (Fra) Armee de TerreRow 72 - Cell 2
74Florent Pereira (Fra) Roubaix Metropole Europeenne De Lille0:11:28
75Jonathan Hivert (Fra) Fortuneo - Vital ConceptRow 74 - Cell 2
DNFJean-Marc Bideau (Fra) Fortuneo - Vital ConceptRow 75 - Cell 2
DNFFranck Bonnamour (Fra) Fortuneo - Vital ConceptRow 76 - Cell 2
DNFMaxime Cam (Fra) Fortuneo - Vital ConceptRow 77 - Cell 2
DNFArnaud Gerard (Fra) Fortuneo - Vital ConceptRow 78 - Cell 2
DNFBenoit Jarrier (Fra) Fortuneo - Vital ConceptRow 79 - Cell 2
DNFKevin Ledanois (Fra) Fortuneo - Vital ConceptRow 80 - Cell 2
DNFWilliam Bonnet (Fra) FDJRow 81 - Cell 2
DNFSébastien Chavanel (Fra) FDJRow 82 - Cell 2
DNFArnaud Courteille (Fra) FDJRow 83 - Cell 2
DNFMickael Delage (Fra) FDJRow 84 - Cell 2
DNFArnaud Demare (Fra) FDJRow 85 - Cell 2
DNFMarc Fournier (Fra) FDJRow 86 - Cell 2
DNFJohan Le Bon (Fra) FDJRow 87 - Cell 2
DNFOlivier Le Gac (Fra) FDJRow 88 - Cell 2
DNFJérémy Maison (Fra) FDJRow 89 - Cell 2
DNFLorenzo Manzin (Fra) FDJRow 90 - Cell 2
DNFMarc Sarreau (Fra) FDJRow 91 - Cell 2
DNFBenoît Vaugrenard (Fra) FDJRow 92 - Cell 2
DNFJulien Berard (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 93 - Cell 2
DNFGuillaume Bonnafond (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 94 - Cell 2
DNFMaxime Daniel (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 95 - Cell 2
DNFAlexis Gougeard (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 96 - Cell 2
DNFQuentin Jauregui (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 97 - Cell 2
DNFSébastien Minard (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 98 - Cell 2
DNFSébastien Turgot (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 99 - Cell 2
DNFThomas Boudat (Fra) Direct EnergieRow 100 - Cell 2
DNFLilian Calmejane (Fra) Direct EnergieRow 101 - Cell 2
DNFRomain Cardis (Fra) Direct EnergieRow 102 - Cell 2
DNFJeremy Cornu (Fra) Direct EnergieRow 103 - Cell 2
DNFYohann Gene (Fra) Direct EnergieRow 104 - Cell 2
DNFFabien Grellier (Fra) Direct EnergieRow 105 - Cell 2
DNFTony Hurel (Fra) Direct EnergieRow 106 - Cell 2
DNFJulien Morice (Fra) Direct EnergieRow 107 - Cell 2
DNFAdrien Petit (Fra) Direct EnergieRow 108 - Cell 2
DNFAlexandre Pichot (Fra) Direct EnergieRow 109 - Cell 2
DNFNacer Bouhanni (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 110 - Cell 2
DNFLoïc Chetout (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 111 - Cell 2
DNFHugo Hofstetter (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 112 - Cell 2
DNFChristophe Laporte (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 113 - Cell 2
DNFCyril Lemoine (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 114 - Cell 2
DNFFlorian Senechal (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 115 - Cell 2
DNFGeoffrey Soupe (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 116 - Cell 2
DNFClément Venturini (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 117 - Cell 2
DNFBryan Alaphilippe (Fra) Armee de TerreRow 118 - Cell 2
DNFBruno Armirail (Fra) Armee de TerreRow 119 - Cell 2
DNFJulien Duval (Fra) Armee de TerreRow 120 - Cell 2
DNFThibault Ferasse (Fra) Armee de TerreRow 121 - Cell 2
DNFRomain Le Roux (Fra) Armee de TerreRow 122 - Cell 2
DNFJordan Levasseur (Fra) Armee de TerreRow 123 - Cell 2
DNFClément Penven (Fra) Armee de TerreRow 124 - Cell 2
DNFStéphane Poulhies (Fra) Armee de TerreRow 125 - Cell 2
DNFThomas Rostollan (Fra) Armee de TerreRow 126 - Cell 2
DNFBenoît Sinner (Fra) Armee de TerreRow 127 - Cell 2
DNFYannis Yssaad (Fra) Armee de TerreRow 128 - Cell 2
DNFCésar Bihel (Fra) HP-BTP Auber 93Row 129 - Cell 2
DNFRomain Feillu (Fra) HP-BTP Auber 93Row 130 - Cell 2
DNFPierre Gouault (Fra) HP-BTP Auber 93Row 131 - Cell 2
DNFJulien Guay (Fra) HP-BTP Auber 93Row 132 - Cell 2
DNFAnthony Maldonado (Fra) HP-BTP Auber 93Row 133 - Cell 2
DNFDavid Menut (Fra) HP-BTP Auber 93Row 134 - Cell 2
DNFThéo Vimpere (Fra) HP-BTP Auber 93Row 135 - Cell 2
DNFJulien El Fares (Fra) Delko Marseille Provence KTMRow 136 - Cell 2
DNFBenjamin Giraud (Fra) Delko Marseille Provence KTMRow 137 - Cell 2
DNFChristophe Laborie (Fra) Delko Marseille Provence KTMRow 138 - Cell 2
DNFYannick Martinez (Fra) Delko Marseille Provence KTMRow 139 - Cell 2
DNFLeonardo Fabio Duque (Fra) Delko Marseille Provence KTMRow 140 - Cell 2
DNFRudy Barbier (Fra) Roubaix Metropole Europeenne De LilleRow 141 - Cell 2
DNFJeremy Leveau (Fra) Roubaix Metropole Europeenne De LilleRow 142 - Cell 2
DNFFelix Pouilly (Fra) Roubaix Metropole Europeenne De LilleRow 143 - Cell 2
DNFNicolas Moncomble (Fra) Roubaix Metropole Europeenne De LilleRow 144 - Cell 2
DNFMorgan Kneisky (Fra) Team Raleigh GacRow 145 - Cell 2
DNFNicolas Baldo (Fra) Team RothRow 146 - Cell 2
DNFRémi Cavagna (Fra) Klein ConstantiaRow 147 - Cell 2
DNFMatthieu Jeannes (Fra) Lupus Racing TeamRow 148 - Cell 2
DNFGuillaume De Almeida (Fra) Radio Popular - BoavistaRow 149 - Cell 2
DNFAlliaume Leblond (Fra) Team Differdange - LoschRow 150 - Cell 2
DNFClément Koretzky (Fra) Team VorarlbergRow 151 - Cell 2
DNFJustin Jules (Fra) Veranclassic-AgoRow 152 - Cell 2

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