Ladagnous sprints to La Poly Normande victory
Française Des Jeux riders take first and third
Matthieu Ladagnous quickly overcame the disappointment of his non-selection for the Tour de France by continuing Française des Jeux's recent dominance of the La Poly Normande. After finishing fourth overall in the Tour de Wallonie, Ladagnous won the French Cup race organised by the commentator of the Tour de France, Daniel Mangeas, in his Normand village of Saint-Martin-de-Landelles on Sunday.
Following the successes of his teammates Arnaud Gérard (in 2008) and Benoît Vaugrenard (2007), Ladagnous finished first in an unusual bunch sprint and shared the podium with his Australian companion Wesley Sulzberger who placed third.
"When I came here I hoped for a breakaway," Ladagnous said. "I thought it was over when the front group had a seven-minute lead. I didn't feel good with 30 kilometres to go. At the end, it wasn't a typical bunch sprint. Everybody was tired. We all sprinted without a real strategy."
Sulzberger was on his wheel but also didn't have the speed for the finale, something that only Stefan van Dijk (Verandas Willems) had. "I was the strongest, but I started sprinting too late," said van Dijk.
Sulzberger was delighted to accompany Ladagnous to the podium. "It was flat out at the end but I'm happy to see the form coming back for Paris-Corrèze, which was my first race with Française des Jeux one year ago. I have big ambitions there," the Tasmanian said.
Ladagnous, who emerged as one of the most promising riders after winning the Four Days of Dunkirk two years ago, was surprisingly left out of the Tour de France team by the Française des Jeux management. "I was disappointed to learn it from Marc Madiot on the eve of the French championship," the rider from Pau said. "I watched it and there were many opportunities for a rider like me, but it's not the end of the world. There will be other Tours for me I hope and there are other interesting races as well. Today is a good example that there is a life as a bike rider after the Tour de France."
A nine-man breakaway took shape after only five kilometres of racing in the outskirts of Avranches where Bradley McGee won stage 7 of the 2002 Tour de France. It included Jocelyn Bar (Française des Jeux), Pierre Rolland (Bbox-Bouygues Telecom), René Mandri (AG2R La Mondiale), Benjamin Giraud (Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne), Jean-Luc Delpech (Bretagne-Schuller), Anthony Delaplace (Besson Chaussures-Sojasun), Diego Tamayo (Carmiooro - A-Style), James Vanlandschoot (Verandas Willems) and Loïc Desriac (French National Team).
The riders in the break were not taken very seriously because many of them were trainees (Bar, Giraud and Delaplace), amateur (Desriac) and members of Continental teams, so they were able to extend their lead to 7:40 over the peloton. Eventually Cofidis took up the chase, not trusting Giraud's ability to win, otherwise the peloton would likely have never brought back the escapees.
Utilizing his form from the Tour de France, Rolland tried to go solo but his escape attempt was unsuccessful. Tamayo, Delpech and Delaplace, who was doing his first pro race in the same village of Saint-Martin-de-Landelles where he won the U17 race only four years ago, attacked their breakaway companions but this move, too, did not succeed. The peloton absorbed all of the riders from the break with 10 kilometres remaining to the finish and the teams of the sprinters prepared for a field sprint to decide the race.
Anthony Geslin (Française des Jeux) and the leader of the French Cup Jimmy Casper (Besson Chaussures-Sojasun) were among the riders who tried to avoid a bunch sprint with attacks in the closing kilometres, but each effort was neutralised by the peloton.
Matthieu Ladagnous (Française des Jeux) led-out the sprint from 300 metres with teammate Wesley Sulzberger on his wheel. Stefan van Dijk (Verandas Willems) almost managed to overtake both Française des Jeux riders, but the photo-finish confirmed Ladagnous as the winner.
1 | Matthieu Ladagnous (Fra) Française Des Jeux | 3:45:23 |
2 | Stefan Van Dijck (Ned) Verandas Willems | Row 1 - Cell 2 |
3 | Wesley Sulzberger (Aus) Française Des Jeux | Row 2 - Cell 2 |
4 | Bert De Waele (Bel) Landbouwkrediet - Colnago | Row 3 - Cell 2 |
5 | Julien El Fares (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne | Row 4 - Cell 2 |
6 | Freddy Bichot (Fra) Agritubel | Row 5 - Cell 2 |
7 | Daniele Colli (Ita) Carmiooro - A-Style | Row 6 - Cell 2 |
8 | Steven Tronet (Fra) Roubaix Lille Metropole | Row 7 - Cell 2 |
9 | Lloyd Mondory (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 8 - Cell 2 |
10 | Renaud Dion (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 9 - Cell 2 |
11 | Samuel Dumoulin (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne | Row 10 - Cell 2 |
12 | Julien Simon (Fra) Besson Chaussures - Sojasun | Row 11 - Cell 2 |
13 | Laurent Beuret (Swi) Carmiooro - A-Style | Row 12 - Cell 2 |
14 | Benoît Sinner (Fra) Besson Chaussures - Sojasun | Row 13 - Cell 2 |
15 | Francisco José Ventoso Alberdi (Spa) Carmiooro - A-Style | Row 14 - Cell 2 |
16 | Pierre Cazaux (Fra) Roubaix Lille Metropole | Row 15 - Cell 2 |
17 | Steven Caethoven (Bel) Agritubel | Row 16 - Cell 2 |
18 | Alexandre Pichot (Fra) BBox Bouygues Telecom | Row 17 - Cell 2 |
19 | Cédric Pineau (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 18 - Cell 2 |
20 | Jan Kuyckx (Bel) Verandas Willems | Row 19 - Cell 2 |
21 | Anthony Ravard (Fra) Agritubel | Row 20 - Cell 2 |
22 | Guillaume Bonnafond (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 21 - Cell 2 |
23 | Sébastien Harbonnier (Fra) Continental Team Differdange | Row 22 - Cell 2 |
24 | Lilian Jegou (Fra) Bretagne - Schuller | Row 23 - Cell 2 |
25 | Niels Brouzes (Fra) Auber 93 | Row 24 - Cell 2 |
26 | Florian Vachon (Fra) Roubaix Lille Metropole | Row 25 - Cell 2 |
27 | Jonathan Thire (Fra) Auber 93 | Row 26 - Cell 2 |
28 | John Gadret (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 27 - Cell 2 |
29 | Vincent Jerome (Fra) BBox Bouygues Telecom | Row 28 - Cell 2 |
30 | Anthony Geslin (Fra) Française Des Jeux | Row 29 - Cell 2 |
31 | Mikael Cherel (Fra) Française Des Jeux | Row 30 - Cell 2 |
32 | Jocelyn Bar (Fra) Française Des Jeux | Row 31 - Cell 2 |
33 | Sébastien Duret (Fra) Bretagne - Schuller | Row 32 - Cell 2 |
34 | Sylvain Georges (Fra) French National Team | Row 33 - Cell 2 |
35 | Morgan Chedhomme (Fra) Auber 93 | Row 34 - Cell 2 |
36 | Remi Cusin (Fra) Agritubel | Row 35 - Cell 2 |
37 | Aurelien Duval (Fra) Francaise des Jeux | Row 36 - Cell 2 |
38 | Mickaël Buffaz (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne | Row 37 - Cell 2 |
39 | Rene Mandri (Est) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 38 - Cell 2 |
40 | Jean Eudes Demaret (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne | Row 39 - Cell 2 |
41 | Yann Pivois (Fra) Bretagne - Schuller | Row 40 - Cell 2 |
42 | Jean-Luc Delpech (Fra) Bretagne - Schuller | Row 41 - Cell 2 |
43 | Romain Lemarchand (Fra) Auber 93 | Row 42 - Cell 2 |
44 | Maxim Gourov (Kaz) Carmiooro - A-Style | Row 43 - Cell 2 |
45 | Arnaud Courteille (Fra) Française Des Jeux | Row 44 - Cell 2 |
46 | Blaise Sonnery (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 45 - Cell 2 |
47 | Romain Zingle (Bel) Verandas Willems | 0:00:10 |
48 | Guillaume Levarlet (Fra) Française Des Jeux | Row 47 - Cell 2 |
49 | Diego Alejandro Tamayo (Col) Carmiooro - A-Style | Row 48 - Cell 2 |
50 | Fabien Taillefer (Fra) Roubaix Lille Metropole | Row 49 - Cell 2 |
51 | Thomas Lebas (Fra) French National Team | Row 50 - Cell 2 |
52 | Laurent Lefevre (Fra) BBox Bouygues Telecom | Row 51 - Cell 2 |
53 | Florian Guillou (Fra) Roubaix Lille Metropole | Row 52 - Cell 2 |
54 | James Vanlandschoot (Bel) Verandas Willems | Row 53 - Cell 2 |
55 | Loïc Desriac (Fra) French National Team | Row 54 - Cell 2 |
56 | Maryan Hary (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne | Row 55 - Cell 2 |
57 | Jimmy Casper (Fra) Besson Chaussures - Sojasun | Row 56 - Cell 2 |
58 | Guillaume Malle (Fra) French National Team | Row 57 - Cell 2 |
59 | Koen Barbe (Bel) Landbouwkrediet - Colnago | Row 58 - Cell 2 |
60 | Kevin Peeters (Bel) Landbouwkrediet - Colnago | Row 59 - Cell 2 |
61 | Eric Berthou (Fra) Carmiooro - A-Style | Row 60 - Cell 2 |
62 | Franck Bouyer (Fra) BBox Bouygues Telecom | Row 61 - Cell 2 |
63 | Cyril Gautier (Fra) BBox Bouygues Telecom | Row 62 - Cell 2 |
64 | Maxime Mederel (Fra) Auber 93 | Row 63 - Cell 2 |
65 | Tony Gallopin (Fra) Auber 93 | 0:00:16 |
66 | Jeremy Galland (Fra) Besson Chaussures - Sojasun | Row 65 - Cell 2 |
67 | Nicolas Jalabert (Fra) Agritubel | Row 66 - Cell 2 |
68 | Dimitri Champion (Fra) Bretagne - Schuller | Row 67 - Cell 2 |
69 | Anthony De La Place (Fra) Besson Chaussures - Sojasun | 0:00:19 |
70 | Romain Matheou (Fra) Besson Chaussures - Sojasun | Row 69 - Cell 2 |
71 | Fabrice Jeandesboz (Fra) Besson Chaussures - Sojasun | Row 70 - Cell 2 |
72 | Jean-Marc Marino (Fra) Besson Chaussures - Sojasun | 0:00:21 |
73 | Yann Huguet (Fra) Agritubel | Row 72 - Cell 2 |
74 | Johan Mombaerts (Fra) Auber 93 | 0:00:31 |
75 | Mickael Larpe (Fra) Roubaix Lille Metropole | 0:00:37 |
76 | Antoine Dalibard (Fra) Bretagne - Schuller | 0:00:38 |
77 | Sébastien Minard (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne | 0:00:44 |
78 | Grégory Habeaux (Bel) Verandas Willems | 0:01:04 |
79 | Jean-Marc Bideau (Fra) Bretagne - Schuller | 0:01:46 |
80 | Laurent Denonfoux (Fra) French National Team | 0:03:40 |
81 | Nadir Haddou (Fra) Auber 93 | 0:03:42 |
82 | Arnaud Molmy (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne | Row 81 - Cell 2 |
83 | Benjamin Giraud (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne | Row 82 - Cell 2 |
84 | Sébastien Hinault (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | 0:03:44 |
85 | Mathieu Criquielion (Bel) Verandas Willems | Row 84 - Cell 2 |
86 | Cédric Collaers (Bel) Verandas Willems | Row 85 - Cell 2 |
87 | Masaru Fukuhara (Jpn) Team Bridgestone Anchor | Row 86 - Cell 2 |
88 | Sébastien Fournet Fayard (Fra) Carmiooro - A-Style | 0:06:36 |
DNF | Rony Martias (Fra) BBox Bouygues Telecom | Row 88 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Pierre Rolland (Fra) BBox Bouygues Telecom | Row 89 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Kenji Itami (Jpn) Team Bridgestone Anchor | Row 90 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Masamichi Yamamoto (Jpn) Team Bridgestone Anchor | Row 91 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Mitsunari Mitaki (Jpn) Team Bridgestone Anchor | Row 92 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Sho Aikawa (Jpn) Team Bridgestone Anchor | Row 93 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Shinpei Fukuda (Jpn) Team Bridgestone Anchor | Row 94 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Gael Malacarne (Fra) Bretagne - Schuller | Row 95 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Nicolas Baldo (Fra) Continental Team Differdange | Row 96 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Jempy Drucker (Lux) Continental Team Differdange | Row 97 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Dominik Eberle (Ger) Continental Team Differdange | Row 98 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Morten Knudsen (Den) Continental Team Differdange | Row 99 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Cyrille Heymans (Lux) Continental Team Differdange | Row 100 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Julien Fouchard (Fra) French National Team | Row 101 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Mathieu Halleguen (Fra) French National Team | Row 102 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Gaylord Cumont (Fra) French National Team | Row 103 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Martial Ricci Poggi (Fra) Landbouwkrediet - Colnago | Row 104 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Mathieu Drouilly (Fra) Landbouwkrediet - Colnago | Row 105 - Cell 2 |
DNF | David Boucher (Fra) Landbouwkrediet - Colnago | Row 106 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Denis Flahaut (Fra) Landbouwkrediet - Colnago | Row 107 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Jonathan Bertrand (Bel) Landbouwkrediet - Colnago | Row 108 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Bastien Delrot (Fra) Roubaix Lille Metropole | Row 109 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Olivier Pardini (Bel) Verandas Willems | Row 110 - Cell 2 |
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