Chavanel First Attacker
Under a cloudy sky, the 190 riders (one non-starter: Meier-OGE) of the 106th edition took of at 10:38 from the city of Ch‚teauneuf-en-Thymerais (Eure-et-Loir). As soon as kilometre 2, Sylvain Chavanel (OPQ) was the first to give it a go. The French time-trial champion was to be rapidly caught by 10 other escapees: Kroon, Morkov (STB), Pineau (OPQ), Smukulis (KAT), Bodrogi (TT1), Gerard (FDJ), De Kort (ARG), Talabardon (SAU) and Hepburn (OGE).
Fast Pace Through the Beauce Area
This first attempt proved to be the good one. Indeed the 11 breakaway riders saw their gap over the pack grow rapidly. They could enjoy a 4’50 advantage after a very fast first hour of racing (50.6 kilometres covered). Behind, the chase was being organised by teams AG2R, Vacansoleil and Garmin, failing to have riders in the breakaway and the gap started dropping. At Amboise, the front group broke up and seven men remained in the lead (Pineau, Bodrogi, Kelderman and Hepburn dropped behind). The pack however moved closer, 2′ adrift. One of the main actors of the first week at this year’s Tour de France, Michael Morkov, decided to take off on his own with under 40 kilometres to go while all his former breakaway companions were caught up by the chasing pack at km 201.
Final Explanation in the Hills around Tours
Eventually a group of 7 counter-attackers: Marcato (VCD), Terpstra (OPQ), Curvers (ARG), Berard (ALM), De Vreese (TSV), Turgot (EUR) and Pichon (BSC) managed to pull away in the last hills of the course and caught up with the leader. A second decisive move occurred in the final 10kms when Marcato pulled away, taking with him De Vreese and Terpstra. While a group of favourites including title-holder Van Avermaet (BMC), Degenkolb (ARG), Leukemans (VCD) and Fuglsang (RNT) managed to take off from the pack in the last hill (Cote de l’Epan, km 7), it was looking good for the front three, enjoying a 15″ advantage with five kilometres to go. Despite the efforts of the chasers, the leaders had a good enough lead to battle it out between each-other on the final Avenue de Grammont straight.
Revenge for Marcato
After a powerful sprint, Italy’s Marco Marcato crossed the line in victorious fashion, only just beating De Vreese and Terpstra. Second of Paris-Tours last year, the Vacansoleil rider captures the biggest win of his career, so far.
Results
1. Marco Marcato (Ita) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling Team 4:50:34
2. Laurens De Vreese (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Mercator
3. Niki Terpstra (Ned) Omega Pharma-Quickstep
4. John Degenkolb (Ger) Argos-Shimano 0:06
5. Laurent Pichon (Fra) Bretagne-Schuller 0:12
6. Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing Team
7. Björn Leukemans (Bel) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling Team
8. Jonathan Hivert (Fra) Saur-Sojasun 0:19
9. Jens Keukeleire (Bel) Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team
10. Zdenek Stybar (Cze) Omega Pharma-Quickstep
11. Sébastien Turgot (Fra) Team Europcar
12. Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Radioshack-Nissan
13. Roy Curvers (Ned) Argos-Shimano
14. Julien Berard (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
15. Adam Blythe (GBr) BMC Racing Team 0:28
16. Nacer Bouhanni (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat
17. Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Katusha Team
18. Tom Veelers (Ned) Argos-Shimano
19. Steele Von Hoff (Aus) Garmin-Sharp
20. Alessandro Bazzana (Ita) Team Type 1-Sanofi
21. Gaetan Bille (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team
22. Jens Debusschere (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team
23. James Vanlandschoot (Bel) Accent Jobs-Willems Veranda’s
24. Dennis Van Winden (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
25. Evaldas Siskevicius (Ltu) La Pomme Marseille
26. Benjamin Verraes (Bel) Accent Jobs-Willems Veranda’s
27. Zico Waeytens (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Mercator
28. Jean-Luc Delpech (Fra) Bretagne-Schuller
29. Fumiyuki Beppu (Jpn) Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team
30. Christophe Laborie (Fra) Saur-Sojasun
31. Giacomo Nizzolo (Ita) Radioshack-Nissan
32. Koldo Fernandez (Spa) Garmin-Sharp
33. Maxime Vantomme (Bel) Katusha Team
34. Stijn Neirynck (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Mercator
35. Dimitri Le Boulch (Fra) Auber 93
36. Saïd Haddou (Fra) Team Europcar
37. Adrien Petit (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne
38. Sébastien Hinault (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
39. Armindo Fonseca (Fra) Bretagne-Schuller
40. Kristof Goddaert (Bel) AG2R La Mondiale
41. Jimmy Casper (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
42. Koen De Kort (Ned) Argos-Shimano
43. Kurt Hovelynck (Bel) Landbouwkrediet
44. Jonathan Cantwell (Aus) Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank
45. Thomas Sprengers (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team
46. Ricardo Garcia Ambroa (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
47. Florian Senechal (Fra) Omega Pharma-Quickstep
48. Dennis Vanendert (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team
49. Julian Dean (NZl) Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team
50. Alexandre Pichot (Fra) Team Europcar
51. Romain Sicard (Fra) Euskaltel-Euskadi
52. Tom Skujins (Lat) La Pomme Marseille
53. Michael Schär (Swi) BMC Racing Team
54. Mirko Selvaggi (Ita) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling Team
55. Kasper Klostergaard Larsen (Den) Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank
56. David Lelay (Fra) Saur-Sojasun
57. Marcello Pavarin (Ita) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling Team
58. Vegard Stake Laengen (Nor) Team Type 1-Sanofi
59. Gert Steegmans (Bel) Omega Pharma-Quickstep
60. Gatis Smukulis (Lat) Katusha Team
61. Florian Vachon (Fra) Bretagne-Schuller
62. Ramon Sinkeldam (Ned) Argos-Shimano
63. Frédéric Amorison (Bel) Landbouwkrediet
64. Leonardo Fabio Duque (Col) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne
65. Mickael Delage (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat
66. Juan Antonio Flecha Giannoni (Spa) Sky Procycling
67. Johannes Fröhlinger (Ger) Argos-Shimano
68. Grégory Rast (Swi) Radioshack-Nissan
69. Ben Hermans (Bel) Radioshack-Nissan 0:42
70. Karsten Kroon (Ned) Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank
71. Alessandro Ballan (Ita) BMC Racing Team
72. Sébastien Minard (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 0:47
73. Baptiste Plackaert (Bel) Landbouwkrediet 1:11
74. Christophe Laporte (Fra) La Pomme Marseille 1:22
75. Grégoire Tarride (Fra) La Pomme Marseille
76. Mathieu Drujon (Fra) Auber 93
77. Stef Clement (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team 2:14
78. Paul Martens (Ger) Rabobank Cycling Team
79. Vladimir Isaichev (Rus) Katusha Team
80. Stefan Van Dijk (Ned) Accent Jobs-Willems Veranda’s
81. Pieter Jacobs (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Mercator
82. Laszlo Bodrogi (Fra) Team Type 1-Sanofi
83. Sylvain Chavanel (Fra) Omega Pharma-Quickstep
84. Aliaksandr Kuchynski (Blr) Katusha Team
85. Yohan Cauquil (Fra) La Pomme Marseille
86. Matteo Pelucchi (Ita) Team Europcar
87. Romain Bacon (Fra) Auber 93
88. Oliver Zaugg (Swi) Radioshack-Nissan
89. Michael Morkov (Den) Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank
90. Mikel Astarloza Chaurreau (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
91. Renaud Dion (Fra) Bretagne-Schuller
92. Benjamin Giraud (Fra) La Pomme Marseille
93. Takashi Miyazawa (Jpn) Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank
94. Tim De Troyer (Bel) Accent Jobs-Willems Veranda’s
95. Wesley Kreder (Ned) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling Team
96. Romain Zingle (Bel) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne
97. Nikolas Maes (Bel) Omega Pharma-Quickstep
98. Adrian Saez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
99. Egidijus Juodvalkis (Ltu) Landbouwkrediet
100. Simon Geschke (Ger) Argos-Shimano
101. Michael Van Staeyen (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Mercator
102. Jarl Salomein (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Mercator 4:31
103. Lars Boom (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
104. Gijs Van Hoecke (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Mercator
105. Robert Wagner (Ger) Radioshack-Nissan
106. Jens Mouris (Ned) Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team
107. Manuel Quinziato (Ita) BMC Racing Team
108. Johan Mombaerts (Fra) Auber 93
109. Stéphane Poulhies (Fra) Saur-Sojasun
110. Fabrice Jeandesboz (Fra) Saur-Sojasun 5:16
111. Brent Bookwalter (USA) BMC Racing Team 6:08
112. Matthew Busche (USA) Radioshack-Nissan
113. Nicolas Rousseau (Fra) Auber 93
114. Sébastien Duret (Fra) Bretagne-Schuller
115. Arnaud Gerard (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat
116. Baden Cooke (Aus) Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team
117. Tony Hurel (Fra) Team Europcar 6:39
118. Gael Malacarne (Fra) Bretagne-Schuller
119. Frederik Willems (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team 6:40
120. Wilco Kelderman (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
121. Pieter Serry (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Mercator
122. Jonathan Breyne (Bel) Landbouwkrediet 7:38
123. Geoffroy Lequatre (Fra) Bretagne-Schuller
124. Sébastien Bergeret (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat
125. Arthur Vichot (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat
126. Jean-Lou Paiani (Fra) Saur-Sojasun
127. Yannick Talabardon (Fra) Saur-Sojasun
128. Arnoud Van Groen (Ned) Accent Jobs-Willems Veranda’s
129. Martijn Verschoor (Ned) Team Type 1-Sanofi
130. Samuel Dumoulin (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne
131. Arnaud Labbe (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne
132. Paul Poux (Fra) Saur-Sojasun
133. Egoitz Garcia Echeguibel (Spa) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne
134. Jean-Pierre Drucker (Lux) Accent Jobs-Willems Veranda’s
135. Fabien Bacquet (Fra) Auber 93
136. Angelo Tulik (Fra) Team Europcar 7:46
137. Koen Barbe (Bel) Landbouwkrediet
138. Bjorn Thurau (Ger) Team Europcar 7:59
139. Davide Appollonio (Ita) Sky Procycling 0:17
140. Julien Fouchard (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne 0:12:39
141. Bert De Backer (Bel) Argos-Shimano
142. Michael Hepburn (Aus) Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team
143. Thomas Vaubourzeix (Fra) La Pomme Marseille
144. Julien Antomarchi (Fra) Team Type 1-Sanofi
145. Stijn Devolder (Bel) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling Team
146. Joeri Stallaert (Bel) Landbouwkrediet
147. Brian Bulgac (Ned) Lotto Belisol Team
OTL Yannick Eijssen (Bel) BMC Racing Team 0:20:44
OTL Lawrence Warbasse (USA) BMC Racing Team
OTL Christopher Juul Jensen (Den) Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank
OTL Luke Roberts (Aus) Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank
OTL Anton Vorobyev (Rus) Katusha Team
OTL Alexander Serebryakov (Rus) Team Type 1-Sanofi
OTL Gregor Gazvoda (Slo) AG2R La Mondiale
OTL Nathan Haas (Aus) Garmin-Sharp
OTL Thomas Scully (NZl) Garmin-Sharp
DNF Thomas De Gendt (Bel) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling Team
DNF Martin Mortensen (Den) Vacansoleil-Dcm Pro Cycling Team
DNF Jonas Aaen Jörgensen (Den) Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank
DNF Jeremy Hunt (GBr) Sky Procycling
DNF Christian Knees (Ger) Sky Procycling
DNF Geraint Thomas (GBr) Sky Procycling
DNF Gerald Ciolek (Ger) Omega Pharma-Quickstep
DNF Jérôme Pineau (Fra) Omega Pharma-Quickstep
DNF Viacheslav Kuznetsov (Rus) Katusha Team
DNF David Lozano Riba (Spa) Team Type 1-Sanofi
DNF Arnold Jeannesson (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat
DNF Geoffrey Soupe (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat
DNF Benoît Vaugrenard (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat
DNF Biel Kadri (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
DNF Romain Lemarchand (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
DNF Michel Kreder (Ned) Garmin-Sharp
DNF Martijn Maaskant (Ned) Garmin-Sharp
DNF Ramunas Navardauskas (Ltu) Garmin-Sharp
DNF Jacob Rathe (USA) Garmin-Sharp
DNF Matti Breschel (Den) Rabobank Cycling Team
DNF Rick Flens (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
DNF Coen Vermeltfoort (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
DNF Jan Ghyselinck (Bel) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne
DNF Frederique Robert (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team
DNF Damien Gaudin (Fra) Team Europcar
DNF Pierre Cazaux (Fra) Euskaltel-Euskadi
DNF Ruben Perez Moreno (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
DNF Pablo Urtasun Perez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
DNF Andy Cappelle (Bel) Accent Jobs-Willems Veranda’s
DNF Thomas Degand (Bel) Accent Jobs-Willems Veranda’s
DNF Sébastien Delfosse (Bel) Landbouwkrediet
DNF Benoit Drujon (Fra) Auber 93
DNF Steven Tronet (Fra) Auber 93
DNF Yannick Martinez (Fra) La Pomme Marseille
DNS Christian Meier (Can) Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team