Démare sprints to Samyn victory
By Cycling News published
French youngster shows his class
Arnaud Démare (FDJ-BigMat) gave a further demonstration of his burgeoning talent with an assured sprint victory at GP Le Samyn. The world under 23 champion saw off the challenge of Kris Boeckmans (Vacansoleil – DCM) and Adrien Petit (Cofidis) in Dour to claim his second win as a professional.
Timing was of the essence on the long, uphill finishing straight, and Démare showed a knowledge of his craft beyond his tender years to pitch his effort perfectly and overhaul Boeckmans inside the final 50 metres.
After controlling the peloton for much of the day and hunting down the breaks on the final lap of the finishing circuit, FDJ-BigMat’s sprint train had Démare perfectly placed on the wheels of Mikael Delage and Yauheni Hutarovich with 400 metres to go.
It was at this point that Boeckmans attempted to tear up the script, as he ripped clear along the barriers on the right hand side of the road. The plucky Belgian initially opened a sizeable gap, and with no discernible reaction behind, it briefly seemed as though he had enough in hand to hold on for the win.
Démare was simply biding his time, however, and he opened his sprint with 200 metres to go, sweeping past Boeckmans’ stalling teammate Romain Feillu in the process. The final drag to the line would prove interminable for Boeckmans; by comparison, Démare seemed to glide over the ground behind, making up three lengths on the Belgian and adding another for good measure even as he sat up to savour his win.
“It was hard to measure your effort, but I felt that I still enough in reserve,” a smiling Démare said afterwards. The 21-year-old was fresh from a fourth place finish at Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne on Sunday, where he had acted as poisson pilote for Hutarovich, but the pair swapped roles in Belgium.
“At the briefing beforehand, it was decided that the guys would ride for me,” he said. “We’d already shown we could do that at Kuurne on Sunday, but this time the roles were different.”
Boeckmans was gallant in his bid for victory, but he freely admitted that he didn’t have the legs to sustain his effort on the drag to the finish. “In the last 50 metres, my legs were ready to explode, but Démare deserved the win,” he said. “It’s just a pity, because I was going well.”
The finishing straight was not altogether dissimilar from the finale on which Démare took his world title last September, and the parallels with Copenhagen were all the more appropriate given that his lead-out man on that occasion, Adrien Petit, came home in third place.
How it unfolded
The colour and tumult of the spring classics seemed a lifetime away as the peloton set out from Frameries under slate grey skies on Wednesday afternoon, but once the flag was dropped, there was no shortage of Belgian riders keen to get up the road. When the day’s break finally went, it was headlined by Iljo Keisse (Omega Pharma-QuickStep), who had Dennis Vanendert (Lotto-Belisol), Jonathan Breyne (Landbouwkrediet), Kevin Van Melsen (Accent Jobs) and Antoine Demoitie (Idemasport) for company.
It wasn’t until that quintet built up a lead of 8 minutes that the peloton was stirred from its slumber and FDJ-BigMat and Garmin-Barracuda assiduously set about tapping away at the deficit.
In spite of Keisse’s best efforts on the finishing circuit, particularly on the cobbled Côte de la Roquette, the break was reeled in with 25km to go, following a particularly long stint of tempo riding from Thomas Dekker (Garmin-Barracuda) behind.
Edwig Cammaerts (Cofidis) was an aggressive presence on the final lap of the circuit, and his forcing provided the impetus for Johan Le Bon (Bretagne-Schuller) and Yukiya Arashiro (Europcar) to go clear with 14km to go, but they never able to move out of sight of the peloton.
The next to try his luck was Michal Kwiatkowski (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) as the young Pole jumped off the front after Jakob Fuglsang (RadioShack-Nissan) upped the pace on the final climb. His lead never stretched beyond ten seconds, however, and he too was captured as FDJ-BigMat took matters in hand for their young sprint talent Démare.
Full Results
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Arnaud Demare (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat | 4:31:17 |
2 | Kris Boeckmans (Bel) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling Team | |
3 | Adrien Petit (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne | |
4 | Anthony Ravard (Fra) Ag2R La Mondiale | |
5 | Giacomo Nizzolo (Ita) Radioshack-Nissan | |
6 | Maxime Vantomme (Bel) Katusha Team | |
7 | Romain Feillu (Fra) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling Team | |
8 | Alexey Tsatevich (Rus) Katusha Team | |
9 | Jean-Luc Delpech (Fra) Bretagne - Schuller | |
10 | Matteo Trentin (Ita) Omega Pharma-Quickstep | |
11 | Michel Kreder (Ned) Team Garmin-Cervelo | |
12 | Staf Scherlinckx (Bel) Accent Jobs - Willems Véranda's | |
13 | Daniel Schorn (Aut) Team Netapp | |
14 | Rony Martias (Fra) Saur - Sojasun | |
15 | Tom Van Asbroeck (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator | |
16 | Alexander Porsev (Rus) Katusha Team | |
17 | Florian Vachon (Fra) Bretagne - Schuller | |
18 | Steve Tronet (Fra) Big Mat - Auber 93 | |
19 | Sébastien Chavanel (Fra) Team Europcar | |
20 | Bert De Waele (Bel) Landbouwkrediet | |
21 | Pieter Ghyllebert (Bel) An Post - Sean Kelly | |
22 | Niko Eeckhout (Bel) An Post - Sean Kelly | |
23 | Johan Le Bon (Fra) Bretagne - Schuller | 0:00:07 |
24 | Julien Vermote (Bel) Omega Pharma-Quickstep | |
25 | Jan Bakelants (Bel) Radioshack-Nissan | |
26 | Renaud Dion (Fra) Bretagne - Schuller | |
27 | Romain Zingle (Bel) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne | |
28 | Rudiger Selig (Ger) Katusha Team | |
29 | Nikolay Trusov (Rus) Rusvelo | |
30 | Kenny De Haes (Bel) Lotto - Belisol Team | |
31 | Eliot Lietaer (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator | 0:00:16 |
32 | Joost Posthuma (Ned) Radioshack-Nissan | 0:00:18 |
33 | Kristof Goddaert (Bel) Ag2R La Mondiale | |
34 | Laurens De Vreese (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator | |
35 | Dirk Bellemakers (Ned) Landbouwkrediet | |
36 | Grischa Janorschke (Ger) Team Netapp | |
37 | Benjamin King (USA) Radioshack-Nissan | |
38 | Pim Ligthart (Ned) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling Team | |
39 | Zico Waeytens (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator | |
40 | Edwig Cammaerts (Bel) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne | |
41 | Hayden Roulston (NZl) Radioshack-Nissan | |
42 | Kevyn Ista (Bel) Accent Jobs - Willems Véranda's | |
43 | Jack Bauer (NZl) Team Garmin-Cervelo | |
44 | Michal Kwiatkowski (Pol) Omega Pharma-Quickstep | |
45 | Gregor Gazvoda (Slo) Ag2R La Mondiale | |
46 | David Veilleux (Can) Team Europcar | 0:00:23 |
47 | Said Haddou (Fra) Team Europcar | |
48 | Robin Stenuit (Bel) Wallonie Bruxelles - Credit Agricole | |
49 | Frederic Amorison (Bel) Landbouwkrediet | |
50 | Jonas Vangenechten (Bel) Lotto - Belisol Team | |
51 | Wouter Mol (Ned) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling Team | |
52 | Yukiya Arashiro (Jpn) Team Europcar | 0:00:26 |
53 | Mathieu Halleguen (Fra) Bretagne - Schuller | |
54 | Vanheuverswijn Q. (Bel) Idemasport - Bio Wanze | |
55 | Yauheni Hutarovich (Blr) FDJ-Big Mat | 0:00:30 |
56 | Vladimir Isaychev (Rus) Katusha Team | |
57 | Boris Zimine (Fra) Roubaix Lille Metropole | |
58 | Lloyd Mondory (Fra) Ag2R La Mondiale | |
59 | Christophe Laborie (Fra) Saur - Sojasun | |
60 | Gaetan Bille (Bel) Lotto - Belisol Team | |
61 | Sébastien Delfosse (Bel) Landbouwkrediet | |
62 | Maarten Neyens (Bel) Lotto - Belisol Team | |
63 | Florent Barle (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne | |
64 | Fabien Bacquet (Fra) Big Mat - Auber 93 | |
65 | Julien Fouchard (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne | |
66 | Ben Hermans (Bel) Radioshack-Nissan | 0:00:35 |
67 | Guillaume Blot (Fra) Bretagne - Schuller | 0:00:41 |
68 | Jerôme Pineau (Fra) Omega Pharma-Quickstep | 0:00:47 |
69 | Steve Chainel (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat | |
70 | David Boucher (Bel) FDJ-Big Mat | |
71 | Benoît Drujon (Fra) Big Mat - Auber 93 | |
72 | Andreas Schillinger (Ger) Team Netapp | |
73 | Francis De Greef (Bel) Lotto - Belisol Team | |
74 | Tosh Van Der Sande (Bel) Lotto - Belisol Team | |
75 | Egoitz Garcia Echeguibel (Spa) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne | |
76 | Morgan Kneisky (Fra) Roubaix Lille Metropole | |
77 | Steven Van Vooren (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator | |
78 | Kevin Van Impe (Bel) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling Team | |
79 | Francesco Chicchi (Ita) Omega Pharma-Quickstep | 0:00:57 |
80 | Marco Bandiera (Ita) Omega Pharma-Quickstep | |
81 | Andrew Fenn (GBr) Omega Pharma-Quickstep | 0:01:19 |
82 | Alex Rasmussen (Den) Team Garmin-Cervelo | |
83 | Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Radioshack-Nissan | |
84 | Benoît Vaugrenard (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat | |
85 | Markus Eichler (Ger) Team Netapp | 0:01:29 |
86 | Thomas De Gendt (Bel) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling Team | 0:01:36 |
87 | Tom Goovaerts (Bel) Colba-Superano | |
88 | Maxime Mederel (Fra) Saur - Sojasun | |
89 | Nikita Eskov (Rus) Rusvelo | |
90 | Maxime Anciaux (Bel) Idemasport - Bio Wanze | |
91 | Petr Ignatenko (Rus) Katusha Team | |
92 | Björn Thurau (Ger) Team Europcar | |
93 | Tom Vanbecelaere (Bel) Colba-Superano | |
94 | Christophe Riblon (Fra) Ag2R La Mondiale | |
95 | Ben Gastauer (Lux) Ag2R La Mondiale | |
96 | Argueles Rodriges (Rus) Rusvelo | |
97 | Mark Mc Nally (GBr) An Post - Sean Kelly | |
98 | Ronan Mc Laughlin (Irl) An Post - Sean Kelly | |
99 | Sam Bennett (Irl) An Post - Sean Kelly | |
100 | Frederik Veuchelen (Bel) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling Team | |
101 | Jean-Lou Paiani (Fra) Saur - Sojasun | |
102 | Michael Schwarzmann (Ger) Team Netapp | |
103 | Timon Seubert (Ger) Team Netapp | |
104 | Stefan Van Dijk (Ned) Accent Jobs - Willems Véranda's | |
105 | Paul Poux (Fra) Saur - Sojasun | |
106 | Martin Mortensen (Den) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling Team | |
107 | Julien Stassen (Bel) Idemasport - Bio Wanze | |
108 | Evert Verbist (Bel) Accent Jobs - Willems Véranda's | |
109 | Anthony Colin (Fra) Roubaix Lille Metropole | |
110 | Justin Van Hoecke (Bel) Wallonie Bruxelles - Credit Agricole | |
111 | Julien Guay (Fra) Roubaix Lille Metropole | |
112 | Fabio Polazzi (Bel) Wallonie Bruxelles - Credit Agricole | |
113 | Cyril Bessy (Fra) Saur - Sojasun | |
114 | Sébastien Turgot (Fra) Team Europcar | |
115 | Bobbie Traksel (Ned) Landbouwkrediet | |
116 | Boris Dron (Bel) Wallonie Bruxelles - Credit Agricole | |
117 | Jean-Marc Bideau (Fra) Bretagne - Schuller | |
118 | Tony Hurel (Fra) Team Europcar | |
119 | Sander Cordeel (Bel) Lotto - Belisol Team | |
120 | Jerome Baugnies (Bel) Team Netapp | |
121 | Sandy Casar (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat | |
122 | Gijs Van Hoecke (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator | |
123 | Sven Jodts (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator | |
124 | Marc De Maar (AHo) Unitedhealthcare Pro Cycling | |
125 | Sylvain Georges (Fra) Ag2R La Mondiale | |
126 | Preben Van Hecke (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator | |
127 | Loïc Desriac (Fra) Roubaix Lille Metropole | |
128 | Jonathan Thire (Fra) Big Mat - Auber 93 | |
129 | Johan Mombaerts (Fra) Big Mat - Auber 93 | |
130 | Jeffry Louder (USA) Unitedhealthcare Pro Cycling | |
131 | Brice Feillu (Fra) Saur - Sojasun | |
132 | Nicolas Rousseau (Fra) Big Mat - Auber 93 | |
133 | Iljo Keisse (Bel) Omega Pharma-Quickstep | |
134 | Robert Wagner (Ger) Radioshack-Nissan | |
135 | Jan Ghyselinck (Bel) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne | |
136 | Grégory Habeaux (Bel) Accent Jobs - Willems Véranda's | |
137 | Thomas Degand (Bel) Accent Jobs - Willems Véranda's | 0:02:28 |
138 | Antoine Demoitie (Bel) Idemasport - Bio Wanze | |
139 | Kevin Lalouette (Fra) Roubaix Lille Metropole | |
140 | Jimmy Casper (Fra) Ag2R La Mondiale | 0:03:38 |
141 | Thomas Dekker (Ned) Team Garmin-Cervelo | 0:04:17 |
142 | Gediminas Bagdonas (Ltu) An Post - Sean Kelly | |
143 | Sean Patrick Downey (Irl) An Post - Sean Kelly | 0:05:29 |
144 | Christopher Jones (USA) Unitedhealthcare Pro Cycling | |
145 | Jonathan Breyne (Bel) Landbouwkrediet | 0:06:37 |
146 | Joris Cornet (Bel) Lotto - Bodysol Pole Continental Wallon | |
147 | Glenn Van De Maele (Bel) Lotto - Bodysol Pole Continental Wallon | |
148 | Laurent Pichon (Fra) Bretagne - Schuller | 0:07:06 |
149 | Loic Pestiaux (Bel) Idemasport - Bio Wanze | |
150 | Olivier Poppe (Bel) Lotto - Bodysol Pole Continental Wallon | |
151 | Baptiste Planckaert (Bel) Landbouwkrediet | |
152 | Benjamin Gourgue (Bel) Lotto - Bodysol Pole Continental Wallon | |
153 | Bradley White (USA) Unitedhealthcare Pro Cycling | |
154 | Alexander Mironov (Rus) Rusvelo | |
155 | Gilles Devillers (Bel) Landbouwkrediet | |
156 | Ian Vansumere (Bel) Lotto - Bodysol Pole Continental Wallon | |
157 | Gaëtan Pons (Bel) Lotto - Bodysol Pole Continental Wallon | |
158 | Kevin Suarez (Bel) Colba-Superano | |
159 | Victor Manakov (Rus) Rusvelo |

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