Simon wins Tour du Finistère
Saur Sojasun sprinter outpaces Dumoulin, McEvoy
After attempts at the Route Adélie (3rd) and Paris-Camembert (16th), Julien Simon (Saur-Sojasun) finally gave local fans confirmation of his exploits at the Volta Catalunya in March. On Saturday the Breton rider claimed the first win of his career on French soil as he outsprinted the whole bunch at the Tour du Finistère, in the same place where Thor Hushovd won stage 8 of the 2004 Tour de France in Quimper.
Breakaway riders Dimitri Champion (Bretagne-Schuller) and Jean-Marc Marino (Saur-Sojasun) were caught with only one kilometer to go but that was an obvious outcome for the numerous spectators of cycling-mad region of Brittany.
“With my teammate away almost all day, my situation was royal,” Simon said.
“With two laps to go (17km), I told myself that I had to focus solely on the sprint. We had to use the final hill to put the pure sprinters like [defending champion] Romain Feillu in the red. I’m not a pure sprinter but I was logically announced as one of the favorites because the uphill finish suited me really well.”
The other rider that Simon feared mostly was Samuel Dumoulin, but the Cofidis rider seems to have lost his superiority in uphill sprint finishes on French soil this Spring. “My two victories in Catalunya have definitely changed me”, Simon explained. “In the past, I would have never dared to launch the sprint the way I’ve done it today. My confidence is great now. But I actually sprinted from too far out. After following [teammate Laurent] Mangel on the hill, I was ahead with 500 meters to go. Fortunately, Eric Berthou [of rival team Bretagne-Schuller] passed me in the last curve and I was able to take the lead again with 200 meters to go.”
“This is my first pro win in France”, said Simon, 26, who turned pro with Crédit Agricole in 2008 and won his first race last year at Villafranca in Spain.
“I’ve dreamt about it and now I’ve done it. Now I’m going to the Ardennes classics with a great motivation. It won’t be the same level of racing though! It’s flat out all the time. It’ll be a good experience anyway. If I could be in the top 15 at Flèche Wallonne, I’d be happy, but it finishes on a wall. I’m told that Liège-Bastogne-Liège suits me better. I have to see by myself if it’s true or not.”
The surprise of the top 3 was Englishman Jonathan McEvoy, 22, who took third place behind Frenchmen Simon and Dumoulin. “But I’m not surprised to be there”, McEvoy told Cyclingnews. “I’m in good form really and I knew it after winning on the British Premier calendar last week. We came here with a strong team on a course that suited me and I positioned myself pretty well. I followed my teammates and the Cofidis rider [Dumoulin]. Tactics were good but I just didn’t have the legs for winning.”
McEvoy will try and get his first international win at the Tour de Bretagne from April 25 to May 1st. The rider from St. Helen’s near Liverpool is obviously ready to pursue Endura Racing’s strong showing in France after the triumphs of Jonathan Tiernan-Locke at the Tour of Mediterranean and the Tour du Haut-Var earlier this year.
Full Results
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Julien Simon (Fra) Saur-Sojasun | 4:14:35 |
2 | Samuel Dumoulin (Fra) Cofidis le Crédit en Ligne | Row 1 - Cell 2 |
3 | Jonathan McEvoy (GBr) Endura Racing | Row 2 - Cell 2 |
4 | Jérémie Galland (Fra) Saur-Sojasun | Row 3 - Cell 2 |
5 | Lloyd Mondory (Fra) AG2R La mondiale | Row 4 - Cell 2 |
6 | Rémi Cusin (Fra) Team Type 1 - Sanofi | Row 5 - Cell 2 |
7 | Armindo Fonseca (Fra) Bretagne - Schuller | Row 6 - Cell 2 |
8 | Justin Jules (Fra) Veranda Rideau - Super U | Row 7 - Cell 2 |
9 | Mirko Selvaggi (Ita) Vacansoleil - DCM Procycling Team | 0:00:03 |
10 | Anthony Delaplace (Fra) Saur-Sojasun | Row 9 - Cell 2 |
11 | Eric Berthou (Fra) Bretagne - Schuller | Row 10 - Cell 2 |
12 | Romain Hardy (Fra) Bretagne - Schuller | Row 11 - Cell 2 |
13 | Tony Hurel (Fra) Team Europcar | 0:00:05 |
14 | Jure Kocjan (Slo) Team Type 1 - Sanofi | Row 13 - Cell 2 |
15 | Ronan Racault (Fra) Auber 93 | Row 14 - Cell 2 |
16 | Arnaud Courteille (Fra) FDJ-BigMat | Row 15 - Cell 2 |
17 | Guillaume Faucon (Fra) Auber 93 | Row 16 - Cell 2 |
18 | Julien Guay (Fra) Roubaix Lille Metropole | Row 17 - Cell 2 |
19 | Leonardo Fabio Duque (Col) Cofidis le Crédit en Ligne | Row 18 - Cell 2 |
20 | Cyril Gautier (Fra) Team Europcar | Row 19 - Cell 2 |
21 | Sylvain Georges (Fra) AG2R La mondiale | Row 20 - Cell 2 |
22 | Pierrick Fédrigo (Fra) FDJ-BigMat | Row 21 - Cell 2 |
23 | Clément Koretzky (Fra) La Pomme-Marseille | 0:00:10 |
24 | Anthony Geslin (Fra) FDJ-BigMat | 0:00:11 |
25 | Florian Vachon (Fra) Bretagne - Schuller | Row 24 - Cell 2 |
26 | Yoann Bagot (Fra) Cofidis le Crédit en Ligne | Row 25 - Cell 2 |
27 | Bert Scheirlinckx (Bel) GEOFCO-Ville d'Alger | 0:00:16 |
28 | Anthony Charteau (Fra) Team Europcar | 0:00:17 |
29 | Kenny Elissonde (Fra) FDJ-BigMat | Row 28 - Cell 2 |
30 | Mickael Olejnik (Pol) Veranda Rideau - Super U | Row 29 - Cell 2 |
31 | Florian Guillou (Fra) Bretagne - Schuller | Row 30 - Cell 2 |
32 | Stefan Denifl (Aut) Vacansoleil - DCM Procycling Team | Row 31 - Cell 2 |
33 | Toms Skujins (Lat) La Pomme-Marseille | Row 32 - Cell 2 |
34 | Nicolas Edet (Fra) Cofidis le Crédit en Ligne | Row 33 - Cell 2 |
35 | Rikke Dijkxhoorn (Ned) GEOFCO-Ville d'Alger | Row 34 - Cell 2 |
36 | Robert Partridge (GBr) Endura Racing | Row 35 - Cell 2 |
37 | Yohan Cauquil (Fra) La Pomme-Marseille | Row 36 - Cell 2 |
38 | Steven Tronet (Fra) Auber 93 | 0:00:25 |
39 | Matthieu Boulo (Fra) Roubaix Lille Metropole | 0:00:26 |
40 | Laszlo Bodrogi (Fra) Team Type 1 - Sanofi | 0:00:31 |
41 | Romain Feillu (Fra) Vacansoleil - DCM Procycling Team | Row 40 - Cell 2 |
42 | Laurent Mangel (Fra) Saur-Sojasun | Row 41 - Cell 2 |
43 | Gilles Devillers (Bel) Landbouwkrediet - Euphony | 0:00:34 |
44 | Jean-Marc Bideau (Fra) Bretagne - Schuller | Row 43 - Cell 2 |
45 | Kenny Robert Van Hummel (Ned) Vacansoleil - DCM Procycling Team | Row 44 - Cell 2 |
46 | Sébastien Minard (Fra) AG2R La mondiale | Row 45 - Cell 2 |
47 | Marcello Pavarin (Ita) Vacansoleil - DCM Procycling Team | Row 46 - Cell 2 |
48 | Jacek Morajko (Pol) Vacansoleil - DCM Procycling Team | Row 47 - Cell 2 |
49 | Guillaume Malle (Fra) Veranda Rideau - Super U | 0:00:38 |
50 | Florian Le Corre (Fra) Roubaix Lille Metropole | Row 49 - Cell 2 |
51 | Guillaume Bonnafond (Fra) AG2R La mondiale | 0:00:40 |
52 | Jérémy Roy (Fra) FDJ-BigMat | 0:00:47 |
53 | Rene Mandri (Est) Endura Racing | 0:00:49 |
54 | Frédéric Amorison (Bel) Landbouwkrediet - Euphony | 0:00:52 |
55 | Vegard Stake Laengen (Nor) Team Type 1 - Sanofi | Row 54 - Cell 2 |
56 | Dean Windsor (Aus) Endura Racing | Row 55 - Cell 2 |
57 | Scott Thwaites (GBr) Endura Racing | Row 56 - Cell 2 |
58 | Jonathan Thire (Fra) Auber 93 | 0:01:01 |
59 | Tortelier Etienne (Fra) Saur-Sojasun | Row 58 - Cell 2 |
60 | Jonathan Hivert (Fra) Saur-Sojasun | Row 59 - Cell 2 |
61 | Mathieu Perget (Fra) AG2R La mondiale | Row 60 - Cell 2 |
62 | Kevin Lalouette (Fra) Roubaix Lille Metropole | Row 61 - Cell 2 |
63 | Morgan Kneisky (Fra) Roubaix Lille Metropole | Row 62 - Cell 2 |
64 | Perrig Quemeneur (Fra) Team Europcar | Row 63 - Cell 2 |
65 | Rafaâ Chtioui (Tun) Team Europcar | Row 64 - Cell 2 |
66 | Jerome Cousin (Fra) Team Europcar | Row 65 - Cell 2 |
67 | Yohann Gené (Fra) Team Europcar | 0:01:17 |
68 | Egoitz Garcia Echeguibel (Spa) Cofidis le Crédit en Ligne | Row 67 - Cell 2 |
69 | Frederik Veuchelen (Bel) Vacansoleil - DCM Procycling Team | 0:01:26 |
70 | Jean Marc Marino (Fra) Saur-Sojasun | 0:01:28 |
71 | Dimitri Champion (Fra) Bretagne - Schuller | Row 70 - Cell 2 |
72 | David Lelay (Fra) Saur-Sojasun | 0:01:35 |
73 | Mickaël Buffaz (Fra) Cofidis le Crédit en Ligne | Row 72 - Cell 2 |
74 | Ibon Zugasti Arrese (Spa) Start Cycling Team - Atacama Flowery Desert | 0:02:15 |
75 | Nicolas Rousseau (Fra) Auber 93 | Row 74 - Cell 2 |
76 | Francis Mourey (Fra) FDJ-BigMat | 0:02:24 |
77 | Erki Pütsep (Est) Alpha Baltic - Unitymarathons.com | 0:02:45 |
78 | Pierre Luc Perichon (Fra) La Pomme-Marseille | 0:04:11 |
79 | Tomasz Olejnik (Pol) Veranda Rideau - Super U | 0:05:18 |
80 | Ola Inge Dropping (Nor) Alpha Baltic - Unitymarathons.com | 0:07:09 |
HD | Tomas Aurelio Gil Martinez (Arg) Start Cycling Team - Atacama Flowery Desert | Row 80 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Fortin Filippo (Den) Team Type 1 - Sanofi | Row 81 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Ino Ilesic Aldo (Fra) Team Type 1 - Sanofi | Row 82 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Alexander Serebryakov (Fra) Team Type 1 - Sanofi | Row 83 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Mathieu Drujon (Fra) Auber 93 | Row 84 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Dimitri Le Boulcha (Fra) Auber 93 | Row 85 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Johan Mombaerts (Fra) Auber 93 | Row 86 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Boris Zimine (Bel) Roubaix Lille Metropole | Row 87 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Denis Flahaut (Rus) Roubaix Lille Metropole | Row 88 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Martijn Verschoor (Fra) Team Type 1 - Sanofi | Row 89 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Sébastien Duret (Ita) Bretagne - Schuller | Row 90 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Florent Barle (Slo) Cofidis le Crédit en Ligne | Row 91 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Fabien Schmidt (Rus) Roubaix Lille Metropole | Row 92 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Sandy Casar (Ned) FDJ-BigMat | Row 93 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Sébastien Chavanel (Fra) Team Europcar | Row 94 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Kevin Claeys (Fra) Landbouwkrediet - Euphony | Row 95 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Anthony Ravard (Fra) AG2R La mondiale | Row 96 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Boris Shpilevsky (Fra) AG2R La mondiale | Row 97 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Kristof Goddaert (Fra) AG2R La mondiale | Row 98 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Arnaud Labbe (Fra) Cofidis le Crédit en Ligne | Row 99 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Martin Mortensen (Fra) Vacansoleil - DCM Procycling Team | Row 100 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Maris Bogdanovics (Fra) Alpha Baltic - Unitymarathons.com | Row 101 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Gaylord Cumont (Ltu) Veranda Rideau - Super U | Row 102 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Franck Vermeulen (Fra) Veranda Rideau - Super U | Row 103 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Henryk Cardoen (Fra) GEOFCO-Ville d'Alger | Row 104 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Mikael Stilite (GBr) GEOFCO-Ville d'Alger | Row 105 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Thomas Vernaeckt (Bel) GEOFCO-Ville d'Alger | Row 106 - Cell 2 |
DNF | James Spragg (Bel) GEOFCO-Ville d'Alger | Row 107 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Jack Tanner (Bel) GEOFCO-Ville d'Alger | Row 108 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Mauricio Frazer (Bel) Start Cycling Team - Atacama Flowery Desert | Row 109 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Manuel Miranda Vergara (Bel) Start Cycling Team - Atacama Flowery Desert | Row 110 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Nicolae Tanovitchii (Fra) Start Cycling Team - Atacama Flowery Desert | Row 111 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Ruben Menendez Velasco (Fra) Start Cycling Team - Atacama Flowery Desert | Row 112 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Koen Barbe (Fra) Landbouwkrediet - Euphony | Row 113 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Reinis Andrijanovs (Fra) Alpha Baltic - Unitymarathons.com | Row 114 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Mathieu Delaroziere (Bel) La Pomme-Marseille | Row 115 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Sandis Eislers (Bel) Alpha Baltic - Unitymarathons.com | Row 116 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Freddy Bichot (Bel) Veranda Rideau - Super U | Row 117 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Baptiste Planckaert (GBr) Landbouwkrediet - Euphony | Row 118 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Bueken Joeri (GBr) Landbouwkrediet - Euphony | Row 119 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Kévin Denis (Arg) Veranda Rideau - Super U | Row 120 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Kevin Peeters (Chi) Landbouwkrediet - Euphony | Row 121 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Ian Wilkinson (Mda) Endura Racing | Row 122 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Alexandre Blain (Spa) Endura Racing | Row 123 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Yannick Martinez (Lat) La Pomme-Marseille | Row 124 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Evaldas Siskevicius (Lat) La Pomme-Marseille | Row 125 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Thomas Vaubourzeix (Lat) La Pomme-Marseille | Row 126 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Kristofers Racenajs (Lat) Alpha Baltic - Unitymarathons.com | Row 127 - Cell 2 |
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