Barguil wins French national title
Cofidis duo Simon and Touzé round out the podium
Warren Barguil delivered his first victory for Arkéa-Samsic and his first since he won stage 18 atop the Col d'Izoard in the polka dot jersey at the 2017 Tour de France. He took a seven-man sprint ahead of Julien Simon and Damien Touzé, both from Cofidis, after late attacks from Valentin Madouas (Groupama-FDJ) and Guillaume Martin (Wanty-Groupe Gobert).
"This brings a lot of emotions after I almost quit cycling," Barguil reacted. "I’ve gone through hard times, I’ve been affected by criticisms and I’m thankful to the people who supported me throughout these difficult days, not to the people who only cheered on me when I was at my best."
Barguil was part of the group of 37 riders who rode away in the third of the 15 laps around La Haye-Fouassière in the Muscadet wine producing area near Nantes. WorldTour teams Groupama-FDJ and AG2R La Mondiale had six riders each, just like Arkéa-Samsic. The biggest names up the road were Madouas, David Gaudu and newly crowned French time trial champion Benjamin Thomas (both Groupama-FDJ), whereas AG2R La Mondiale had Alexis Gougeard and Pierre Latour. Pierre Rolland (Vital Concept-B&B Hôtels) was also in the mix.
Their advantage was 3:30 with 150km to go. Total Direct Energie was obviously not satisfied with the composition of the breakaway, having Perrig Quémeneur, Angelo Tulik, Paul Ourselin and Mathieu Burgaudeau in the front group but not Anthony Turgis, who was last year’s runner up. With 100km remaining, Groupama-FDJ relayed Total and suddenly brought the gap down to 1:55..
Arkéa-Samsic also chased at some stages but an attack by Gaudu with 80km to go made the breakaway alive again. The lead group was reduced to 23 riders and the gap went up again: 3:35 with 65km left to race.
"I always believed that we could stay away until the end if we kept three to four minutes lead before the last hour," Barguil said. "All my team-mates at the front were committed to help me win. Our road captain Florian Vachon made me calm two or three times when I rode too generously and I was pissed off with some riders who didn’t cooperate."
With 40km to go, four top riders attacked from the peloton: Thibaut Pinot (Groupama-FDJ), Anthony Turgis (Total Direct Energie), Elie Gesbert (Arkéa-Samsic) and Benoît Cosnefroy (AG2R-La Mondiale). After they were reined in due to a lack of cooperation, Pinot went again. Inside 20km to go, he was close to bridging the gap along with Rolland, who had been dropped from the front group, but it didn’t happen.
His teammate Madouas, who finished 13th overall in the Giro d’Italia, went by himself from the break with 7km to go. He stayed alone in the lead for 4km. Barguil and Martin were next to attack. "Martin made us lose the title," Simon deplored. "I raised my hand up in the air to ask Damien [Touzé] to ride behind him and we launched our sprint too early."
Barguil said that he "knew that a championship isn’t necessarily won by the fastest rider in the finale”, and duly claimed the spoils. He already had a French championship under his belt as he won solo in the junior ranks 10 years ago in Vendôme. In 2009, it was also the only other victory in the French Elite championship for Arkéa-Samsic that was then named Bretagne-Schuller and ranked a continental team, as Dimitri Champion outclassed the FDJ block. In 23 attempts since their inception in 1997, Cofidis are yet to bring the blue-white-red jersey home.
Full results
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Warren Barguil (Fra) Team Arkea-Samsic | 5:54:36 |
2 | Julien Simon (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | |
3 | Damien Touze (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | |
4 | Angelo Tulik (Fra) Total Direct Energie | |
5 | Valentin Madouas (Fra) Groupama-FDJ | |
6 | Quentin Pacher (Fra) Vital Concept-B&B Hotels | |
7 | Guillaume Martin (Fra) Wanty-Gobert Cycling Team | 0:00:02 |
8 | Cyril Gautier (Fra) Vital Concept-B&B Hotels | 0:00:21 |
9 | Paul Ourselin (Fra) Total Direct Energie | |
10 | Anthony Turgis (Fra) Total Direct Energie | 0:01:10 |
11 | Arnaud Demare (Fra) Groupama-FDJ | 0:01:18 |
12 | Clement Venturini (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | |
13 | Anthony Roux (Fra) Groupama-FDJ | |
14 | Alexis Vuillermoz (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | |
15 | Maxime Bouet (Fra) Team Arkea-Samsic | |
16 | Kevin Le Cunff (Fra) St Michel-Auber 93 | |
17 | Mikael Cherel (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | |
18 | Rudy Molard (Fra) Groupama-FDJ | |
19 | Stéphane Rossetto (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | |
20 | Julien El Fares (Fra) Delko Marseille Provence | 0:01:24 |
21 | Samuel Leroux (Fra) Natura4Ever-Roubaix-Lille Metropole | |
22 | Anthony Delaplace (Fra) Team Arkea-Samsic | |
23 | Nacer Bouhanni (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | |
24 | Thomas Boudat (Fra) Total Direct Energie | |
25 | Jérémy Leveau (Fra) Delko Marseille Provence | |
26 | Clément Russo (Fra) Team Arkea-Samsic | |
27 | Anthony Maldonado (Fra) St Michel-Auber 93 | |
28 | Nans Peters (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | |
29 | Franck Bonnamour (Fra) Team Arkea-Samsic | |
30 | Christophe Laporte (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | |
31 | Fabien Schmidt (Fra) Delko Marseille Provence | |
32 | Nicolas Edet (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | |
33 | Julien Trarieux (Fra) Delko Marseille Provence | |
34 | Matthieu Ladagnous (Fra) Groupama-FDJ | |
35 | Rémi Cavagna (Fra) Deceuninck - Quick-Step | |
36 | Geoffrey Soupe (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | |
37 | Lilian Calmejane (Fra) Total Direct Energie | |
38 | Elie Gesbert (Fra) Team Arkea-Samsic | |
39 | Bryan Coquard (Fra) Vital Concept-B&B Hotels | |
40 | Mathias Le Turnier (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | |
41 | Anthony Perez (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | 0:01:32 |
42 | Mathieu Burgaudeau (Fra) Total Direct Energie | 0:01:34 |
43 | Thibaut Pinot (Fra) Groupama-FDJ | |
44 | Pierre Rolland (Fra) Vital Concept-B&B Hotels | |
45 | Morgan Kneisky (Fra) Groupama-FDJ | 0:02:16 |
46 | Clément Chevrier (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | |
47 | Adrien Guillonnet (Fra) Interpro Cycling Academy | |
48 | Cyril Lemoine (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | |
49 | Romain Combaud (Fra) Delko Marseille Provence | |
50 | Laurent Pichon (Fra) Team Arkea-Samsic | |
51 | Rémy Rochas (Fra) Delko Marseille Provence | 0:02:45 |
52 | Alexis Gougeard (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | |
53 | Dorian Godon (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | |
54 | Pierre Luc Perichon (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | |
55 | Camille Thominet (Fra) St Michel-Auber 93 | |
56 | Hubert Dupont (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | |
57 | Kevin Ledanois (Fra) Team Arkea-Samsic | |
58 | Geoffrey Bouchard (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | |
59 | Bruno Armirail (Fra) Groupama-FDJ | |
60 | Kevin Reza (Fra) Vital Concept-B&B Hotels | 0:03:11 |
61 | Romain Hardy (Fra) Team Arkea-Samsic | 0:07:34 |
62 | Brice Feillu (Fra) Team Arkea-Samsic | |
63 | Julien Morice (Fra) Vital Concept-B&B Hotels | |
64 | Julien Antomarchi (Fra) Natura4Ever-Roubaix-Lille Metropole | |
65 | Johan Le Bon (Fra) Vital Concept-B&B Hotels | 0:09:19 |
66 | Corentin Ermenault (Fra) Vital Concept-B&B Hotels | |
67 | Christophe Masson (Fra) Natura4Ever-Roubaix-Lille Metropole | 0:09:32 |
68 | Pierre Gouault (Fra) Natura4Ever-Roubaix-Lille Metropole | |
69 | Olivier Le Gac (Fra) Groupama-FDJ | |
70 | Corentin Navarro (Fra) Team Wiggins LeCol | |
71 | Pierre Latour (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | 0:11:26 |
72 | Quentin Jauregui (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | |
73 | Rudy Barbier (Fra) Israel Cycling Academy | 0:14:18 |
74 | Théo Nonnez (Fra) Groupama-FDJ | 0:15:22 |
75 | Florian Hudry (Fra) Interpro Cycling Academy | 0:15:23 |
76 | Jimmy Turgis (Fra) Vital Concept-B&B Hotels | |
77 | Lucas De Rossi (Fra) Delko Marseille Provence | |
78 | Benjamin Thomas (Fra) Groupama-FDJ | |
79 | Loic Chetout (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | 0:17:16 |
80 | Nicolas Baldo (Fra) St Michel-Auber 93 | 0:17:17 |
81 | Gauthier Navarro (Fra) Interpro Cycling Academy | 0:21:17 |
DNF | Adrien Petit (Fra) Total Direct Energie | |
DNF | Hugo Hofstetter (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | |
DNF | Tony Gallopin (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | |
DNF | Jerome Cousin (Fra) Total Direct Energie | |
DNF | Jérémy Maison (Fra) Team Arkea-Samsic | |
DNF | Alexandre Geniez (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | |
DNF | David Gaudu (Fra) Groupama-FDJ | |
DNF | Pierre Barbier (Fra) Natura4Ever-Roubaix-Lille Metropole | |
DNF | Maxime Daniel (Fra) Team Arkea-Samsic | |
DNF | Benoit Cosnefroy (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | |
DNF | Maxime Cam (Fra) Vital Concept-B&B Hotels | |
DNF | Lorrenzo Manzin (Fra) Vital Concept-B&B Hotels | |
DNF | Yoann Offredo (Fra) Wanty-Gobert Cycling Team | |
DNF | Simon Guglielmi (Fra) Groupama-FDJ | |
DNF | Flavien Maurelet (Fra) St Michel-Auber 93 | |
DNF | Aurélien Paret Peintre (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | |
DNF | Thibault Ferasse (Fra) Natura4Ever-Roubaix-Lille Metropole | |
DNF | Fabien Doubey (Fra) Wanty-Gobert Cycling Team | |
DNF | Pierre Idjouadiene (Fra) Natura4Ever-Roubaix-Lille Metropole | |
DNF | Adrien Garel (Fra) Vital Concept-B&B Hotels | |
DNF | Marc Sarreau (Fra) Groupama-FDJ | |
DNF | Benoit Vaugrenard (Fra) Groupama-FDJ | |
DNF | Léo Vincent (Fra) Groupama-FDJ | |
DNF | François Bidard (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | |
DNF | Fabien Grellier (Fra) Total Direct Energie | |
DNF | Alan Riou (Fra) Team Arkea-Samsic | |
DNF | Florian Vachon (Fra) Team Arkea-Samsic | |
DNF | Alexis Guerin (Fra) Delko Marseille Provence | |
DNF | Romain Feillu (Fra) St Michel-Auber 93 | |
DNF | Arnaud Courteille (Fra) Vital Concept-B&B Hotels | |
DNF | Clement Davy (Fra) Groupama-FDJ | |
DNF | Thibault Guernalec (Fra) Team Arkea-Samsic | |
DNF | Julien Duval (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | |
DNF | William Bonnet (Fra) Groupama-FDJ | |
DNF | Romain Sicard (Fra) Total Direct Energie | |
DNF | Mickael Delage (Fra) Groupama-FDJ | |
DNF | Perrig Quemeneur (Fra) Total Direct Energie | |
DNF | Benoit Jarrier (Fra) Team Arkea-Samsic | |
DNF | Tony Hurel (Fra) St Michel-Auber 93 | |
DNF | Romain Le Roux (Fra) Team Arkea-Samsic | |
DNF | Amael Moinard (Fra) Team Arkea-Samsic | |
DNF | Emmanuel Morin (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | |
DNF | Romain Seigle (Fra) Groupama-FDJ | |
DNF | Justin Mottier (Fra) Vital Concept-B&B Hotels | |
DNF | Damien Gaudin (Fra) Total Direct Energie | |
DNF | Yohann Gene (Fra) Total Direct Energie | |
DNF | Yoann Paillot (Fra) St Michel-Auber 93 | |
DNF | Samuel Dumoulin (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | |
DNF | Romain Cardis (Fra) Total Direct Energie | |
DNF | Bryan Nauleau (Fra) Total Direct Energie | |
DNF | Jérémy Lecroq (Fra) Vital Concept-B&B Hotels | |
DNF | Alexandre Pichot (Fra) Total Direct Energie | |
DNF | Yoann Bagot (Fra) Vital Concept-B&B Hotels | |
DNF | Axel Journiaux (Fra) Total Direct Energie | |
DNF | Luis Javelly (Fra) Start Cycling Team | |
DNF | Jonathan Hivert (Fra) Total Direct Energie | |
DNF | Gabriel Muller (Fra) Team Differdange Geba | |
DNF | Victor Lafay (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits |
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