Bole sprints to win in Plouay
Gerrans, Voeckler round out top three
Grega Bole (Lampre-ISD) sprang a surprise at the GP Ouest France-Plouay with a canny attack just over the top of the final ascent of the côte de Ty-Marrec with a little under 2km to go. Previous winners Simon Gerrans (Sky) and Thomas Voeckler (Europcar) came home second and third, respectively.
The Slovenian champion Bole timed his effort to perfection on the deceptive false flat over the top of the climb and he was impressive in holding off the pursuers behind in the finale. Gerrans led the initial chase in the company of Jeremie Galland (Saur-Sojasun), Bjorn Leukemans (Vacansoleil-DCM) and Joaquin Rojas (Movistar), and they were soon joined by Voeckler, who made an explosive burst under the red kite.
The Voeckler-Gerrans tandem fought grimly to peg back Bole in the finishing straight, but ultimately they were caught in the no-man’s land between the winner and the peloton behind, and had to settle for podium places, albeit in the same time as Bole.
“This is the most beautiful win of my career,” Bole said afterwards. “It’s my first win in a classic and it’s come at the end of a tough race and with a good attack. I’ve been going well since the Tour de France. In the last few races, I’ve always finished high up, and today I’ve finally succeeded in hitting the target.”
Thor Hushovd (Garmin-Cervélo) won the sprint for fourth place ahead of Italian talent Giacomo Nizzolo (Leopard Trek) and Rojas in front of a large and passionate crowd in Brittany.
The day’s early animators included Jack Bobridge (Garmin-Cervélo), who gained a lead of 11 minutes at one point in the company of Michaël Chérel (AG2R - La Mondiale), Guillaume Levarlet (Saur-Sojasun), Sébastien Duret (Bretagne-Schuller), Cyril Gautier (Europcar), Italiens Marcello Pavarin (Vacansoleil), Mauro Finetto (Liquigas-Cannondale) and Michal Kwiatowski (Radioshack).
That break was gradually reeled in, and on the final laps, all eyes were on Philippe Gilbert (Omega Pharma-Lotto), as he was bidding for the win that would put him ahead of Cadel Evans at the top of the WorldTour rankings.
Although Gilbert was careful to mark a dangerous move by Gerrans in the closing stages, he was reluctant to commit to the attack, and the pair were quickly brought to heel by the peloton.
Instead, Breton fortune favoured the brave Bole, and the Slovenian’s victory was just reward for his opportunism and his strength.
Full Results
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Grega Bole (Slo) Lampre - ISD | 6:32:40 |
2 | Simon Gerrans (Aus) Sky Procycling | Row 1 - Cell 2 |
3 | Thomas Voeckler (Fra) Team Europcar | Row 2 - Cell 2 |
4 | Thor Hushovd (Nor) Team Garmin-Cervelo | Row 3 - Cell 2 |
5 | Giacomo Nizzolo (Ita) Leopard Trek | Row 4 - Cell 2 |
6 | Arnaud Gerard (Fra) FDJ | Row 5 - Cell 2 |
7 | Jose Joaquin Rojas Gil (Spa) Movistar Team | Row 6 - Cell 2 |
8 | Fumiyuki Beppu (Jpn) Team RadioShack | Row 7 - Cell 2 |
9 | Julien Simon (Fra) Saur - Sojasun | Row 8 - Cell 2 |
10 | Yoann Offredo (Fra) FDJ | Row 9 - Cell 2 |
11 | Marco Marcato (Ita) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | Row 10 - Cell 2 |
12 | Jérémie Galland (Fra) Saur - Sojasun | Row 11 - Cell 2 |
13 | Simone Ponzi (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale | Row 12 - Cell 2 |
14 | Wouter Mol (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | Row 13 - Cell 2 |
15 | Maarten Wynants (Bel) Rabobank Cycling Team | Row 14 - Cell 2 |
16 | Mirko Selvaggi (Ita) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | Row 15 - Cell 2 |
17 | Manuel Antonio Leal Cardoso (Por) Team RadioShack | Row 16 - Cell 2 |
18 | Simon Clarke (Aus) Pro Team Astana | Row 17 - Cell 2 |
19 | Robbie McEwen (Aus) Team RadioShack | Row 18 - Cell 2 |
20 | Jean-Luc Delpech (Fra) Bretagne - Schuller | Row 19 - Cell 2 |
21 | Jonathan Hivert (Fra) Saur - Sojasun | Row 20 - Cell 2 |
22 | Samuel Dumoulin (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne | Row 21 - Cell 2 |
23 | Pavel Brutt (Rus) Katusha Team | Row 22 - Cell 2 |
24 | Jon Izaguirre Insausti (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi | Row 23 - Cell 2 |
25 | Romain Hardy (Fra) Bretagne - Schuller | Row 24 - Cell 2 |
26 | Lars Ytting Bak (Den) HTC-Highroad | Row 25 - Cell 2 |
27 | Danilo Hondo (Ger) Lampre - ISD | Row 26 - Cell 2 |
28 | Jan Ghyselinck (Bel) HTC-Highroad | Row 27 - Cell 2 |
29 | Tony Gallopin (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne | Row 28 - Cell 2 |
30 | Koldo Fernandez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi | Row 29 - Cell 2 |
31 | Christophe Riblon (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 30 - Cell 2 |
32 | Borut Bozic (Slo) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | Row 31 - Cell 2 |
33 | Anthony Delaplace (Fra) Saur - Sojasun | Row 32 - Cell 2 |
34 | Bram Tankink (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team | Row 33 - Cell 2 |
35 | Michael Schär (Swi) BMC Racing Team | Row 34 - Cell 2 |
36 | Dries Devenyns (Bel) Quickstep Cycling Team | Row 35 - Cell 2 |
37 | Blel Kadri (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 36 - Cell 2 |
38 | Peio Bilbao (Spa) Orbea Continental | Row 37 - Cell 2 |
39 | Filippo Pozzato (Ita) Katusha Team | Row 38 - Cell 2 |
40 | Luis Pasamontes Rodriguez (Spa) Movistar Team | Row 39 - Cell 2 |
41 | Eric Berthou (Fra) Bretagne - Schuller | Row 40 - Cell 2 |
42 | Arnold Jeannesson (Fra) FDJ | Row 41 - Cell 2 |
43 | Johnny Hoogerland (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | Row 42 - Cell 2 |
44 | Maciej Bodnar (Pol) Liquigas-Cannondale | Row 43 - Cell 2 |
45 | Vincent Jerome (Fra) Team Europcar | Row 44 - Cell 2 |
46 | Rémi Cusin (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne | Row 45 - Cell 2 |
47 | Jerome Coppel (Fra) Saur - Sojasun | Row 46 - Cell 2 |
48 | Mikel Astarloza Chaurreau (Spa) Euskatel-Euskadi | Row 47 - Cell 2 |
49 | Frédéric Guesdon (Fra) FDJ | Row 48 - Cell 2 |
50 | Brice Feillu (Fra) Leopard Trek | Row 49 - Cell 2 |
51 | Rui Costa (Por) Movistar Team | Row 50 - Cell 2 |
52 | Tom Stamsnijder (Ned) Leopard Trek | Row 51 - Cell 2 |
53 | Jurgen Roelandts (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto | Row 52 - Cell 2 |
54 | Björn Leukemans (Bel) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | Row 53 - Cell 2 |
55 | Michel Kreder (Ned) Team Garmin-Cervelo | Row 54 - Cell 2 |
56 | Matthieu Sprick (Fra) Skil - Shimano | Row 55 - Cell 2 |
57 | Philippe Gilbert (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto | Row 56 - Cell 2 |
58 | Maarten Tjallingii (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team | Row 57 - Cell 2 |
59 | Kristijan Koren (Slo) Liquigas-Cannondale | Row 58 - Cell 2 |
60 | Leonardo Fabio Duque (Col) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne | Row 59 - Cell 2 |
61 | Damiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre - ISD | Row 60 - Cell 2 |
62 | Rémy Di Gregorio (Fra) Pro Team Astana | Row 61 - Cell 2 |
63 | Anthony Roux (Fra) FDJ | Row 62 - Cell 2 |
64 | Pierrick Fedrigo (Fra) FDJ | Row 63 - Cell 2 |
65 | Rinaldo Nocentini (Ita) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 64 - Cell 2 |
66 | Anthony Geslin (Fra) FDJ | Row 65 - Cell 2 |
67 | Jean-Marc Bideau (Fra) Bretagne - Schuller | Row 66 - Cell 2 |
68 | Giampaolo Caruso (Ita) Katusha Team | Row 67 - Cell 2 |
69 | Matteo Tosatto (Ita) Saxo Bank Sungard | Row 68 - Cell 2 |
70 | Gorazd Stangelj (Slo) Pro Team Astana | Row 69 - Cell 2 |
71 | Lars Boom (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team | Row 70 - Cell 2 |
72 | Michael Rogers (Aus) Sky Procycling | 0:00:08 |
73 | Grégory Rast (Swi) Team RadioShack | 0:00:10 |
74 | Ramunas Navardauskas (Ltu) Team Garmin-Cervelo | Row 73 - Cell 2 |
75 | Geraint Thomas (GBr) Sky Procycling | 0:00:12 |
76 | Daniele Pietropolli (Ita) Lampre - ISD | 0:00:20 |
77 | Greg Henderson (NZl) Sky Procycling | 0:00:47 |
78 | Fabian Wegmann (Ger) Leopard Trek | 0:01:00 |
79 | Robert Hunter (RSA) Team RadioShack | 0:01:02 |
80 | Paolo Longo Borghini (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale | Row 79 - Cell 2 |
81 | Jos Van Emden (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team | Row 80 - Cell 2 |
82 | Julien Vermote (Bel) Quickstep Cycling Team | Row 81 - Cell 2 |
83 | Maciej Paterski (Pol) Liquigas-Cannondale | Row 82 - Cell 2 |
84 | Maxime Vantomme (Bel) Katusha Team | Row 83 - Cell 2 |
85 | Luke Roberts (Aus) Saxo Bank Sungard | Row 84 - Cell 2 |
86 | Dmitriy Fofonov (Kaz) Pro Team Astana | Row 85 - Cell 2 |
87 | Enrique Sanz (Spa) Movistar Team | Row 86 - Cell 2 |
88 | Rubén Plaza Molina (Spa) Movistar Team | Row 87 - Cell 2 |
89 | Guillaume Levarlet (Fra) Saur - Sojasun | Row 88 - Cell 2 |
90 | Amaël Moinard (Fra) BMC Racing Team | Row 89 - Cell 2 |
91 | Sébastien Hinault (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | 0:01:46 |
92 | Yann Huguet (Fra) Skil - Shimano | Row 91 - Cell 2 |
93 | Mark Renshaw (Aus) HTC-Highroad | 0:01:53 |
94 | Renaud Dion (Fra) Bretagne - Schuller | Row 93 - Cell 2 |
95 | Dominic Klemme (Ger) Leopard Trek | 0:01:55 |
96 | Michal Kwiatkowski (Pol) Team RadioShack | 0:02:13 |
97 | Yaroslav Popovych (Ukr) Team RadioShack | Row 96 - Cell 2 |
98 | Mauro Finetto (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale | Row 97 - Cell 2 |
99 | Yevgeniy Nepomnyachshiy (Kaz) Pro Team Astana | Row 98 - Cell 2 |
100 | Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Sky Procycling | Row 99 - Cell 2 |
101 | Stéphane Poulhies (Fra) Saur - Sojasun | Row 100 - Cell 2 |
102 | Danilo Wyss (Swi) BMC Racing Team | Row 101 - Cell 2 |
103 | Gabriel Rasch (Nor) Team Garmin-Cervelo | Row 102 - Cell 2 |
104 | Matthew Wilson (Aus) Team Garmin-Cervelo | Row 103 - Cell 2 |
105 | Nikolay Trusov (Rus) Katusha Team | Row 104 - Cell 2 |
106 | Franck Bouyer (Fra) Team Europcar | Row 105 - Cell 2 |
107 | Jérôme Pineau (Fra) Quickstep Cycling Team | Row 106 - Cell 2 |
108 | Arthur Vichot (Fra) FDJ | Row 107 - Cell 2 |
109 | Kasper Klostergaard Larsen (Den) Saxo Bank Sungard | Row 108 - Cell 2 |
110 | Joost Posthuma (Ned) Leopard Trek | 0:02:31 |
111 | Martin Pedersen (Den) Leopard Trek | Row 110 - Cell 2 |
112 | Yukiya Arashiro (Jpn) Team Europcar | Row 111 - Cell 2 |
113 | Matteo Trentin (Ita) Quickstep Cycling team | 0:03:30 |
114 | Jelle Vanendert (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto | Row 113 - Cell 2 |
115 | Laurent Pichon (Fra) Bretagne - Schuller | 0:03:57 |
116 | Baden Cooke (Aus) Saxo Bank Sungard | Row 115 - Cell 2 |
117 | Pierre Rolland (Fra) Team Europcar | Row 116 - Cell 2 |
118 | Simon Spilak (Slo) Lampre - ISD | Row 117 - Cell 2 |
119 | Niki Terpstra (Ned) Quickstep Cycling Team | 0:06:27 |
120 | Gatis Smukulis (Lat) HTC-Highroad | 0:06:29 |
121 | Damien Gaudin (Fra) Team Europcar | Row 120 - Cell 2 |
122 | Cyril Gautier (Fra) Team Europcar | Row 121 - Cell 2 |
123 | Mikel Landa Meana (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi | 0:07:43 |
124 | Iván Velasco Murillo (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi | Row 123 - Cell 2 |
125 | Yuriy Krivtsov (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 124 - Cell 2 |
126 | Miguel Minguez Ayala (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi | Row 125 - Cell 2 |
127 | Maxim Gourov (Kaz) Pro Team Astana | Row 126 - Cell 2 |
128 | Steve Morabito (Swi) BMC Racing Team | Row 127 - Cell 2 |
129 | Perrig Quemeneur (Fra) Team Europcar | Row 128 - Cell 2 |
130 | Fabio Sabatini (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale | Row 129 - Cell 2 |
131 | Jesse Sergent (NZl) Team RadioShack | Row 130 - Cell 2 |
132 | Feng Han (Chn) Skil - Shimano | Row 131 - Cell 2 |
133 | Danilo Di Luca (Ita) Katusha Team | Row 132 - Cell 2 |
134 | Michael Matthews (Aus) Rabobank Cycling Team | Row 133 - Cell 2 |
135 | David Loosli (Swi) Lampre - ISD | Row 134 - Cell 2 |
136 | Adriano Malori (Ita) Lampre - ISD | Row 135 - Cell 2 |
137 | Jean-Eudes Demaret (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne | Row 136 - Cell 2 |
138 | Anthony Ravard (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 137 - Cell 2 |
139 | Lucas Sebastian Haedo (Arg) Saxo Bank Sungard | Row 138 - Cell 2 |
140 | Jesus Herrada Lopez (Spa) Movistar Team | Row 139 - Cell 2 |
141 | Adrien Petit (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne | Row 140 - Cell 2 |
142 | Tristan Valentin (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne | 0:09:34 |
143 | Thomas Damuseau (Fra) Skil - Shimano | Row 142 - Cell 2 |
144 | William Clarke (Aus) Leopard Trek | 0:10:24 |
145 | Martijn Maaskant (Bel) Team Garmin-Cervelo | 0:11:28 |
146 | Andreas Stauff (Ger) Quickstep Cycling Team | Row 145 - Cell 2 |
147 | Assan Bazayev (Kaz) Pro Team Astana | Row 146 - Cell 2 |
148 | Robin Chaigneau (Ned) Skil - Shimano | 0:12:40 |
149 | Bart De Clercq (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto | Row 148 - Cell 2 |
150 | Yannick Eijssen (Bel) BMC Racing Team | Row 149 - Cell 2 |
151 | Marcello Pavarin (Ita) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | Row 150 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Matthew Brammeier (Irl) HTC-Highroad | Row 151 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Jack Bobridge (Aus) Team Garmin-Cervelo | Row 152 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Roger Hammond (GBr) Team Garmin-Cervelo | Row 153 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Diego Ulissi (Ita) Lampre - ISD | Row 154 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Sergey Renev (Kaz) Pro Team Astana | Row 155 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Mikael Cherel (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 156 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Martin Elmiger (Swi) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 157 - Cell 2 |
DNF | José Ivan Gutierrez Palacios (Spa) Movistar Team | Row 158 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Francisco José Ventoso Alberdi (Spa) Movistar Team | Row 159 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Klaas Lodewyck (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto | Row 160 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Maarten Neyens (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto | Row 161 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Oscar Pujol Muñoz (Spa) Omega Pharma-Lotto | Row 162 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Jussi Veikkanen (Fin) Omega Pharma-Lotto | Row 163 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Marcus Burghardt (Ger) BMC Racing Team | Row 164 - Cell 2 |
DNF | John Murphy (USA) BMC Racing Team | Row 165 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Serguei Ivanov (Rus) Katusha Team | Row 166 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Petr Ignatenko (Rus) Katusha Team | Row 167 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Romain Sicard (Fra) Euskaltel-Euskadi | Row 168 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Rick Flens (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team | Row 169 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Coen Vermeltfoort (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team | Row 170 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Russell Downing (GBr) Sky Procycling | Row 171 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Juan Antonio Flecha Giannoni (Spa) Sky Procycling | Row 172 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Ben Swift (GBr) Sky Procycling | Row 173 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Alessandro Vanotti (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale | Row 174 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Gerald Ciolek (Ger) Quickstep Cycling Team | Row 175 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Addy Engels (Ned) Quickstep Cycling Team | Row 176 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Rob Ruijgh (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team | Row 177 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Jonathan Bellis (GBr) Saxo Bank Sungard | Row 178 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Manuele Boaro (Ita) Saxo Bank Sungard | Row 179 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Florian Guillou (Fra) Bretagne - Schuller | Row 180 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Sébastien Duret (Fra) Bretagne - Schuller | Row 181 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Romain Zingle (Bel) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne | Row 182 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Fabrice Jeandesboz (Fra) Saur - Sojasun | Row 183 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Mitchell Docker (Aus) Skil - Shimano | Row 184 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Roger Kluge (Ger) Skil - Shimano | Row 185 - Cell 2 |
DNS | Alex Rasmussen (Den) HTC-Highroad | Row 186 - Cell 2 |
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