Ligthart wins Grand Prix La Marseillaise
Dutchman beats Vanbilsen into second place
Pim Ligthart (Lotto Soudal) claimed victory at the Grand Prix La Marseillaise with a well-timed sprint that saw him finish ahead of last year’s winner Kennerth Vanbilsen (Cofidis) and Antoine Demoitié (Wallonie-Bruxelles).
Thibaut Pinot (FDJ.fr) and Romain Bardet (Ag2r-La Mondiale) were among the starters for the traditional curtain-raiser to the French season, which took the peloton on a 140-kilometre loop around the hinterland of Marseille, with five categorised climbs on the agenda.
"The season couldn't have started better. I trained hard this winter and it's fantastic I immediately benefit from it," Ligthart said.
The early break was formed by Conor Dunne (An Post-Chainreaction), Steven Tronet (Auber 93), Frederik Veuchelen (Wanty-Groupe Gobert), Thomas Vaubourzeix (Veranclassic-Ekoi) and Julien Duval (Armée de Terre), and they were later joined by Eoin McCarthy (An Post-Chainreaction).
Their lead touched nine minutes with 100 kilometres remaining but began to melt away thereafter as Bretagne-Séché took up the reins of the pursuit in a bid to set up Romain Feillu for the win, and the leaders were caught inside the final 20 kilometres.
Carlos Quintero (Colombia) tried his luck on the day’s final climb, the Col de la Gineste, and he was later joined a by small group that included Davide Rebellin (CCC-Polsat) but they too were swept up on the run-in to the finish.
In the ensuing sprint in the shadow of the Stade Vélodrome, home of Olympique de Marseille, it was Ligthart who emerged to take his first win since a stage of the Ster ZLM Toer in 2013.
"Our team was relaxed in the bunch and I could save my strengths. Cofidis led the chase and the escapees got caught. I was well positioned and started the sprint," Ligthart said. "I looked next to me a few times and didn't see anyone passing by, so I started to believe in it. It's really nice to win this way."
Results
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Pim Ligthart (Ned) Lotto Soudal | 3:39:33 |
2 | Kenneth Van Bilsen (Bel) Cofidis, Solutions Crédits | Row 1 - Cell 2 |
3 | Antoine Demoitie (Bel) Wallonie - Bruxelles | Row 2 - Cell 2 |
4 | Baptiste Planckaert (Bel) Roubaix Lille Métropole | Row 3 - Cell 2 |
5 | Jonathan Hivert (Fra) Bretagne - Séché Environnement | Row 4 - Cell 2 |
6 | Marco Marcato (Ita) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | Row 5 - Cell 2 |
7 | Edward Theuns (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise | Row 6 - Cell 2 |
8 | Maxime Renault (Fra) Auber 93 | Row 7 - Cell 2 |
9 | Benjamin Giraud (Fra) Team Marseille 13 KTM | Row 8 - Cell 2 |
10 | Amets Txurruka (Esp) Caja Rural - Seguros RGA | Row 9 - Cell 2 |
11 | Maxime Vantomme (Bel) Roubaix Lille Métropole | Row 10 - Cell 2 |
12 | Anthony Maldonado (Fra) Auber 93 | Row 11 - Cell 2 |
13 | Simone Antonini (Ita) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | Row 12 - Cell 2 |
14 | Edwin Alcibiades Avila Vanegas (Col) Team Colombia | Row 13 - Cell 2 |
15 | Benoit Jarrier (Fra) Bretagne - Séché Environnement | Row 14 - Cell 2 |
16 | Pello Bilbao Lopez De Armentia (Esp) Caja Rural - Seguros RGA | Row 15 - Cell 2 |
17 | Tomasz Kiendys (Pol) CCC Sprandi Polkowice | Row 16 - Cell 2 |
18 | Carlos Barbero Cuesta (Esp) Caja Rural - Seguros RGA | Row 17 - Cell 2 |
19 | Anthony Delaplace (Fra) Bretagne - Séché Environnement | Row 18 - Cell 2 |
20 | Pieter Vanspeybrouck (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise | Row 19 - Cell 2 |
21 | Arthur Van Overberghe (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise | Row 20 - Cell 2 |
22 | Thomas Damuseau (Fra) Roubaix Lille Métropole | Row 21 - Cell 2 |
23 | Walter Fernando Pedraza Morales (Col) Team Colombia | Row 22 - Cell 2 |
24 | Kévin Reza (Fra) FDJ | Row 23 - Cell 2 |
25 | Xandro Meurisse (Bel) An Post - Chain Reaction | Row 24 - Cell 2 |
26 | Julien El Fares (Fra) Team Marseille 13 KTM | Row 25 - Cell 2 |
27 | Kevin Ista (Bel) Wallonie - Bruxelles | Row 26 - Cell 2 |
28 | Rémy Di Gregorio (Fra) Team Marseille 13 KTM | Row 27 - Cell 2 |
29 | Christophe Laporte (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Crédits | Row 28 - Cell 2 |
30 | Romain Combaud (Fra) Equipe Cycliste Armée de Terre | Row 29 - Cell 2 |
31 | Quentin Pacher (Fra) Equipe Cycliste Armée de Terre | Row 30 - Cell 2 |
32 | Yann Guyot (Fra) Equipe Cycliste Armée de Terre | Row 31 - Cell 2 |
33 | Jimmy Turgis (Fra) Roubaix Lille Métropole | Row 32 - Cell 2 |
34 | Fernando Grijalba (Esp) Caja Rural - Seguros RGA | Row 33 - Cell 2 |
35 | Yoann Paillot (Fra) Team Marseille 13 KTM | Row 34 - Cell 2 |
36 | Florian Vachon (Fra) Bretagne - Séché Environnement | Row 35 - Cell 2 |
37 | Romain Bardet (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 36 - Cell 2 |
38 | Sander Armee (Bel) Lotto Soudal | Row 37 - Cell 2 |
39 | Kenny Elissonde (Fra) FDJ | Row 38 - Cell 2 |
40 | Conor Dunne (Irl) An Post - Chain Reaction | Row 39 - Cell 2 |
41 | Julien Loubet (Fra) Team Marseille 13 KTM | Row 40 - Cell 2 |
42 | Sébastien Delfosse (Bel) Wallonie - Bruxelles | Row 41 - Cell 2 |
43 | Tom Dernies (Bel) Wallonie - Bruxelles | Row 42 - Cell 2 |
44 | Björn Leukemans (Bel) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | Row 43 - Cell 2 |
45 | Alo Jakin (Est) Auber 93 | Row 44 - Cell 2 |
46 | Frederik Backaert (Bel) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | Row 45 - Cell 2 |
47 | Davide Rebellin (Ita) CCC Sprandi Polkowice | Row 46 - Cell 2 |
48 | Adrian Honkisz (Pol) CCC Sprandi Polkowice | Row 47 - Cell 2 |
49 | Mikael Cherel (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 48 - Cell 2 |
50 | Julien Guay (Fra) Auber 93 | Row 49 - Cell 2 |
51 | Anthony Roux (Fra) FDJ | Row 50 - Cell 2 |
52 | Pierre Rolland (Fra) Team Europcar | Row 51 - Cell 2 |
53 | Kevin Ledanois (Fra) Bretagne - Séché Environnement | Row 52 - Cell 2 |
54 | Stéphane Rossetto (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Crédits | Row 53 - Cell 2 |
55 | Cyril Gautier (Fra) Team Europcar | Row 54 - Cell 2 |
56 | Brayan Ramirez (Col) Team Colombia | Row 55 - Cell 2 |
57 | Steven Tronet (Fra) Auber 93 | Row 56 - Cell 2 |
58 | Pierre-Roger Latour (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 57 - Cell 2 |
59 | Giovanni Bernaudeau (Fra) Team Europcar | Row 58 - Cell 2 |
60 | Hubert Dupont (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 59 - Cell 2 |
61 | Olivier Chevalier (Bel) Wallonie - Bruxelles | Row 60 - Cell 2 |
62 | Maxime Monfort (Bel) Lotto Soudal | Row 61 - Cell 2 |
63 | Carlos Quintero (Col) Team Colombia | Row 62 - Cell 2 |
64 | Gert Jõeäär (Est) Cofidis, Solutions Crédits | Row 63 - Cell 2 |
65 | Frederik Veuchelen (Bel) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | Row 64 - Cell 2 |
66 | Rudy Molard (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Crédits | Row 65 - Cell 2 |
67 | Pieter Jacobs (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise | Row 66 - Cell 2 |
68 | Floris De Tier (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise | Row 67 - Cell 2 |
69 | Flavien Dassonville (Fra) Auber 93 | Row 68 - Cell 2 |
70 | Arthur Vichot (Fra) FDJ | Row 69 - Cell 2 |
71 | Tony Gallopin (Fra) Lotto Soudal | Row 70 - Cell 2 |
72 | Thomas Vaubourzeix (Fra) Veranclassic - Ekoi | Row 71 - Cell 2 |
73 | Thibaut Pinot (Fra) FDJ | Row 72 - Cell 2 |
74 | Sean De Bie (Bel) Lotto Soudal | Row 73 - Cell 2 |
75 | Jerome Cousin (Fra) Team Europcar | Row 74 - Cell 2 |
76 | Théo Vimpere (Fra) Auber 93 | Row 75 - Cell 2 |
77 | Boris Dron (Bel) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | Row 76 - Cell 2 |
78 | Vegard Breen (Nor) Lotto Soudal | Row 77 - Cell 2 |
79 | Clement Saint Martin (Fra) Team Marseille 13 KTM | Row 78 - Cell 2 |
80 | Romain Guillemois (Fra) Team Europcar | 0:00:24 |
81 | Cyril Lemoine (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Crédits | 0:00:56 |
82 | Fabricio Ferrari Barcelo (Uru) Caja Rural - Seguros RGA | 0:01:21 |
83 | Jimmy Raibaud (Fra) Equipe Cycliste Armée de Terre | 0:01:23 |
84 | Evaldas Siskevicius (Ltu) Team Marseille 13 KTM | 0:02:37 |
85 | Omar Fraile (Esp) Caja Rural - Seguros RGA | 0:04:33 |
86 | Leonardo Fabio Duque (Col) Team Colombia | 0:05:33 |
87 | Arnaud Courteille (Fra) FDJ | Row 86 - Cell 2 |
88 | Antoine Warnier (Bel) Wallonie - Bruxelles | Row 87 - Cell 2 |
89 | Nikolay Mihaylov (Bul) CCC Sprandi Polkowice | Row 88 - Cell 2 |
90 | Paulius Siskevicius (Ltu) An Post - Chain Reaction | Row 89 - Cell 2 |
91 | Serge Dewortelaer (Bel) Veranclassic - Ekoi | Row 90 - Cell 2 |
92 | Matthieu Boulo (Fra) Bretagne - Séché Environnement | Row 91 - Cell 2 |
93 | Yoann Barbas (Fra) Equipe Cycliste Armée de Terre | Row 92 - Cell 2 |
94 | Julien Duval (Fra) Equipe Cycliste Armée de Terre | Row 93 - Cell 2 |
95 | Julien Antomarchi (Fra) Roubaix Lille Métropole | Row 94 - Cell 2 |
96 | Carlos Mario Ramirez Botero (Col) Team Colombia | Row 95 - Cell 2 |
97 | Tosh Van Der Sande (Bel) Lotto Soudal | Row 96 - Cell 2 |
98 | Hugo Houle (Can) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 97 - Cell 2 |
99 | Angel Madrazo Ruiz (Esp) Caja Rural - Seguros RGA | Row 98 - Cell 2 |
100 | Romain Feillu (Fra) Bretagne - Séché Environnement | 0:11:53 |
101 | Jorge Camilo Castiblanco Cubides (Col) Team Colombia | Row 100 - Cell 2 |
102 | Branislau Samoilau (Blr) CCC Sprandi Polkowice | Row 101 - Cell 2 |
103 | Rudy Barbier (Fra) Roubaix Lille Métropole | Row 102 - Cell 2 |
104 | Benoît Sinner (Fra) Equipe Cycliste Armée de Terre | Row 103 - Cell 2 |
105 | Sebastián Molano (Col) Team Colombia | Row 104 - Cell 2 |
106 | Jens Vandenbogaerde (Bel) An Post - Chain Reaction | Row 105 - Cell 2 |
107 | Kevin Van Melsen (Bel) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | Row 106 - Cell 2 |
108 | Ryan Mullen (Irl) An Post - Chain Reaction | Row 107 - Cell 2 |
109 | Jerome Mainard (Fra) Equipe Cycliste Armée de Terre | Row 108 - Cell 2 |
110 | Maxime Daniel (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 109 - Cell 2 |
111 | Alexandre Blain (Fra) Team Marseille 13 KTM | Row 110 - Cell 2 |
112 | Pierre Gouault (Fra) Auber 93 | Row 111 - Cell 2 |
113 | Lloyd Mondory (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 112 - Cell 2 |
114 | Gregory Habeaux (Bel) Wallonie - Bruxelles | Row 113 - Cell 2 |
115 | Anthony Geslin (Fra) FDJ | Row 114 - Cell 2 |
116 | Mateusz Taciak (Pol) CCC Sprandi Polkowice | Row 115 - Cell 2 |
117 | Alistair Slater (GBr) An Post - Chain Reaction | Row 116 - Cell 2 |
118 | Anthony Turgis (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Crédits | Row 117 - Cell 2 |
119 | Benoît Vaugrenard (Fra) FDJ | Row 118 - Cell 2 |
120 | Oliver Naesen (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise | Row 119 - Cell 2 |
121 | Bert Van Lerberghe (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise | Row 120 - Cell 2 |
122 | Kris Boeckmans (Bel) Lotto Soudal | Row 121 - Cell 2 |
123 | Eliot Lietaer (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise | Row 122 - Cell 2 |
124 | Miguel Angel Benito (Esp) Caja Rural - Seguros RGA | Row 123 - Cell 2 |
125 | Jean-Marc Bideau (Fra) Bretagne - Séché Environnement | Row 124 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Francesco Van Coppernolle (Bel) Veranclassic - Ekoi | Row 125 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Gorik Gardeyn (Bel) Veranclassic - Ekoi | Row 126 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Michael Van Staeyen (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Crédits | Row 127 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Alexander Maes (Can) An Post - Chain Reaction | Row 128 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Eoin McCarthy (Fra) An Post - Chain Reaction | Row 129 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Roy Jans (Fra) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | Row 130 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Thomas Wertz (Bel) Wallonie - Bruxelles | Row 131 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Marek Rutkiewicz (Bel) CCC Sprandi Polkowice | Row 132 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Alexis Gougeard (Bel) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 133 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Yohann Gene (Fra) Team Europcar | Row 134 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Robin Stenuit (Bel) Veranclassic - Ekoi | Row 135 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Timothy Dupont (Bel) Roubaix Lille Métropole | Row 136 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Edwig Cammaerts (Bel) Veranclassic - Ekoi | Row 137 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Romain Pillon (Bel) Roubaix Lille Métropole | Row 138 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Antoine Duchesne (Irl) Team Europcar | Row 139 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Stefan Schumacher (Pol) CCC Sprandi Polkowice | Row 140 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Sébastien Rosseler (Ger) Veranclassic - Ekoi | Row 141 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Justin Jules (Bel) Veranclassic - Ekoi | Row 142 - Cell 2 |
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