Mélodie Lesueur takes French title

Race Results
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20 year-old stops Longo-Ciprelli taking another championship double

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Mélodie Lesueur celebrates her solo win in the French championship.(Image credit: AFP Photo)

20 year-old Mélodie Lesueur won the women's French national road race title with a solo attack that left surprised her rivals and stopped Jeannie Longo-Ciprelli taking another time trial and road race double.

Lesueur attacked mid-race with Nadia Triquet-Claude of the strong Vienne-Futuroscope team, blocking the chase behind. But Lesueur then dropped Triquet-Claude on the rolling hills and soloed to victory.

Amélie Rivat (Rhône-Alpes), also just 20, finished 1:55 behind Lesueur, with Longo-Ciprelli taking the bunch sprint for third. At 51, Longo-Ciprelli is older than the two young riders put together.

"At first I thought about waiting for Nadia but I decided to focus on my race. On the last two laps I had cramp everywhere," Lesueur told l'Equipe.fr.

"The opportunists won today," Longo-Ciprelli said, admitting that the bunch an big names of French cycling failed to organise their chase soon enough.

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Results
1Mélodie Lesueur (Esgl93-Gsdgestion)3:07:08
2Amélie Rivat (Rhonealpes)0:01:56
3Jeannie Longo-Ciprelli (Rhonealpes)0:03:59
4Christel Ferrier-Bruneau (Viennefuturoscope)Row 3 - Cell 2
5Edwige Pitel (S.Cmichelafaninirecordrox)Row 4 - Cell 2
6Audrey Cordon (Viennefuturoscope)Row 5 - Cell 2
7Sophie Creux (Esgl93-Gsdgestion)Row 6 - Cell 2
8Eugénie Mermillod (Esgl93-Gsdgestion)Row 7 - Cell 2
9Béatrice Thomas (Esgl93-Gsdgestion)Row 8 - Cell 2
10Mélanie Bravard (Esgl93-Gsdgestion)Row 9 - Cell 2
11Emilie Blanquefort (Aquitaine)Row 10 - Cell 2
12Marion Azam (Midipyrenees)Row 11 - Cell 2
13Julie Krasniak ((Lorraine)Row 12 - Cell 2
14Aude Biannic (Bretagne)0:06:13
15Mélanie Ferrand (Rhonealpes)0:06:29
16Vicky Fournial (Lorraine)0:06:33
17Pascale Jeuland (Viennefuturoscope)Row 16 - Cell 2
18Nadia Triquetclaude (Viennefuturoscope)Row 17 - Cell 2
19Elodie Hegoburu (Esgl93-Gsdgestion)Row 18 - Cell 2
20Marielaure Cloarec (Iledefrance)Row 19 - Cell 2

 

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Stephen Farrand
Stephen Farrand
Editor-at-large

Stephen is one of the most experienced members of the Cyclingnews team, having reported on professional cycling since 1994. Before becoming Editor-at-large, he was Head of News at Cyclingnews. He has previously worked for Shift Active Media, Reuters and Cycling Weekly. He is a member of the Board of the Association Internationale des Journalistes du Cyclisme (AIJC).

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