Koldo Fernandez wins sprint in the Vendée
Leonardo Duque seals overall French Cup success
Euskaltel-Euskadi's Koldo Fernandez used the racing strength he acquired at the Vuelta a España to beat the French sprinters at the Tour de Vendée, the 12th and final leg of the French Cup. The Spaniard repeated his effort of two years ago and won for the second time in La Roche-sur-Yon ahead of Cervélo's Davide Appollonio, who got a great lead-out from teammate Heinrich Haussler on his way back to form.
Colombia's Leonardo Duque, the 10th place finisher, secured the overall win at the French Cup by a single point over Florian Vachon, who finished seventh.
"The roads over here suit me because it's similar to the Basque country," said the 29-year-old from Zurbano. "I'm very happy to win here again. To tell the truth, I was watching Jimmy Casper, so I was a bit surprised when the two Cervélo riders created a gap, but it went well at the end."
The race concluded with a bunch sprint finish but the race was intense all the way through. Thomas Voeckler (Bbox Bouygues Telecom) and Jérémy Roy (FDJ) were the most active riders in the 10-man breakaway that took off soon after the start and got caught with 50 kilometres to go. Voeckler tried again but a group of four managed to go away with Pablo Urtasun (Euskaltel), Ronny Martias (Saur-Sojasun), Rein Taarämae (Cofidis) and Bert Scheirlinckx (Landbouwkrediet).
"I tried at the beginning, I tried in the middle and I tried at the end of the race but it just didn't work out," said the French champion who was riding with his heart more than with his head to show that his BBox Bouygues Telecom team is still alive. Timing is tight for team manager Jean-René Bernaudeau to seal a deal with a new sponsor by Tuesday. "Every year there are a lot of people at the Tour de Vendée but this time there were even more," Voeckler said. "It probably has something to do with the fact that people want to see our team at the Tour de Vendée and at the start of the Tour de France again next year."
The Bbox Bouygues Telecom squad finished the work initiated by RadioShack by catching the four-man breakaway with 20km to go. Romain Lemarchand (BigMat-Auber 93) attacked with 10km to go, and was joined by Juan José Oroz (Euskaltel), Gert Verheyen (Landbouwkrediet), Rob Ruijgh and Frederik Veuchelen (Vacansoleil). Voeckler and Benoît Vaugrenard (FDJ) tried to bridge the gap but it was all together again with 2km to go and the bunch sprint was inevitable.
The Saur-Sojasun team rode hard at the front but the duo from Cervélo and Fernandez were definitely stronger. "The strength I have from the Tour of Spain made me have an advantage," Fernandez told Cyclingnews.
"I was dreaming of winning but when I saw Fernandez passing me, there was nothing to do," said runner up Davide Appollonio, who was happy with his French campaign as he won the last stage of the Tour du Limousin and finished second at the GP Fourmies.
Fernandez continued the tradition of Basque riders winning at the Tour de Vendée, as they've won four of the past five editions.. It started with Alberto Leanizbarrutia in 1988, then Mikel Gaztanaga won twice in a row (2006 and 2007) and now Fernandez has put his name on the record for the second time following his 2008 win.
1 | Koldo Fernandez De Larrea (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi | 4:44:07 |
2 | Davide Appollonio (Ita) Cervélo Test Team | Row 1 - Cell 2 |
3 | Jonathan Hivert (Fra) Saur - Sojasun | Row 2 - Cell 2 |
4 | Cédric Pineau (FRa) Roubaix Lille Metropole | Row 3 - Cell 2 |
5 | Baptiste Planckaert (Bel) Landbouwkrediet | Row 4 - Cell 2 |
6 | Maxime Vantomme (Bel) Team Katusha | Row 5 - Cell 2 |
7 | Florian Vachon (Fra) Bretagne - Schuller | Row 6 - Cell 2 |
8 | Davy Commeyne (Bel) Landbouwkrediet | Row 7 - Cell 2 |
9 | Aristide Ratti (Ita) CarmioOro NGC Carmiooro - NGC | Row 8 - Cell 2 |
10 | Leonardo Duque (Col) Cofidis, le Credit en Ligne | Row 9 - Cell 2 |
11 | Jens Keukeleire (Bel) Cofidis le Crédit en Ligne | Row 10 - Cell 2 |
12 | Morgan Kneisky Roubaix Lille Metropole | Row 11 - Cell 2 |
13 | Geert Verheyen (Bel) Landbouwkrediet | Row 12 - Cell 2 |
14 | Samuel Dumoulin (Fra) Cofidis, le Credit en Ligne | Row 13 - Cell 2 |
15 | Frédéric Guesdon (Fra) Française Des Jeux | Row 14 - Cell 2 |
16 | Mikhail Antonov (Rus) Team Katusha | Row 15 - Cell 2 |
17 | Matthieu Ladagnous (Fra) Française Des Jeux | Row 16 - Cell 2 |
18 | Gert Steegmans (Bel) Team Radioshack | Row 17 - Cell 2 |
19 | Alexandre Botcharov (Rus) Team Katusha | Row 18 - Cell 2 |
20 | Renaud Dion (Fra) Roubaix Lille Metropole | Row 19 - Cell 2 |
21 | Pieter Jacobs (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator | Row 20 - Cell 2 |
22 | Rob Ruyjgh (Ned) Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team | Row 21 - Cell 2 |
23 | Jean-Luc Delpech (Fra) Bretagne - Schuller Bretagne - Schuller | Row 22 - Cell 2 |
24 | Sep Vanmarcke (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator | Row 23 - Cell 2 |
25 | Ludovic Turpin (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale AG2R - La mondiale | Row 24 - Cell 2 |
26 | Juan José Oroz Ugalde (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi | Row 25 - Cell 2 |
27 | Mikel Nieve Ituralde (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi | Row 26 - Cell 2 |
28 | Pieter Vanspeybrouck (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator | 0:00:09 |
29 | Ben Hermans (Bel) Team RadioShack | 0:00:11 |
30 | Julien Simon (Fra) Saur - Sojasun | Row 29 - Cell 2 |
31 | Amets Txurruka Ansola (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi | Row 30 - Cell 2 |
32 | Mikael Chérel (Fra) Française Des Jeux | Row 31 - Cell 2 |
33 | Nadir Haddou (Fra) Big Mat - Auber 93 Big Mat - Auber 93 | Row 32 - Cell 2 |
34 | Stéphane Rossetto (Bel) Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team | Row 33 - Cell 2 |
35 | Sébastien Chavanel (Fra) Française Des Jeux | Row 34 - Cell 2 |
36 | Geert Steurs (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator Topsport | Row 35 - Cell 2 |
37 | Kristof Vandewalle (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator | Row 36 - Cell 2 |
38 | Mathieu Claude (Fra) BBox Bouygues Telecom | Row 37 - Cell 2 |
39 | Laurent Pichon (Fra) Bretagne - Schuller | Row 38 - Cell 2 |
40 | Romain Lemarchand (Fra) Big Mat - Auber 93 | Row 39 - Cell 2 |
41 | Anthony Delaplace (Fra) Saur - Sojasun | 0:00:17 |
42 | Lilian Jegou (Fra) Bretagne - Schuller Bretagne - Schuller | 0:00:18 |
43 | Andrea Piechele (Ita) Carmiooro - NGC | Row 42 - Cell 2 |
44 | Jens Mouris (Ned) Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team | Row 43 - Cell 2 |
45 | Yohann Gené (Fra) BBox Bouygues Telecom | Row 44 - Cell 2 |
46 | Heinrich Haussler (Ger) Cervelo Test Team | Row 45 - Cell 2 |
47 | David Lelay (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale AG2R - La mondiale | Row 46 - Cell 2 |
48 | Anthony Charteau (Fra) Bbox Bouygues Telecom | 0:00:25 |
49 | Geoffroy Lequatre (Fra) Team Radioshack | Row 48 - Cell 2 |
50 | Stéphane Bonsergent (Fra) Bretagne - Schuller Bretagne - Schuller | 0:00:27 |
51 | Blel Kadri (Fra) AG2R - La mondiale | Row 50 - Cell 2 |
52 | Bert Scheirlinckx (Bel) Landbouwkrediet | Row 51 - Cell 2 |
53 | Thibaut Pinot (FRA) Française Des Jeux | 0:00:30 |
54 | Jean-Marc Bideau (Fra) Bretagne - Schuller | Row 53 - Cell 2 |
55 | Florian Guillou (Fra) Bretagne - Schuller Bretagne - Schuller | Row 54 - Cell 2 |
56 | Laurent Beure (Fra) Carmiooro - NGC | Row 55 - Cell 2 |
57 | Nikita Eskov (Rus) Team Katusha Team Katusha | Row 56 - Cell 2 |
58 | Sébastien Minard (Fra) Cofidis, le Credit en Ligne | Row 57 - Cell 2 |
59 | Tristan Valentin (Fra) Cofidis, le Credit en Ligne | Row 58 - Cell 2 |
60 | Jimmy Casper (Fra) Saur - Sojasun Saur - Sojasun | Row 59 - Cell 2 |
61 | Stéphane Augé (Fra) Cofidis le Crédit en Ligne | Row 60 - Cell 2 |
62 | Romain Bacon (Fra) Big Mat - Auber 93 | Row 61 - Cell 2 |
63 | Andreas Klier (Ger) Cervelo Test Team | 0:00:37 |
64 | Gabriel Rasch (Nor) Cervelo Test Team | Row 63 - Cell 2 |
65 | Frederik Veuchelen (Bel) Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team | Row 64 - Cell 2 |
66 | Jimmy Engoulvent (Fra) Saur - Sojasun | Row 65 - Cell 2 |
67 | Gorik Gardeyn (Bel) Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team | Row 66 - Cell 2 |
68 | Gael Malacarne (Fra) Bretagne - Schuller | Row 67 - Cell 2 |
69 | Brice Feillu (Fra) Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team | Row 68 - Cell 2 |
70 | José Luis Rubiera Vigil (Spa) Team Radioshack | Row 69 - Cell 2 |
71 | Markel Irizar Aranburu (Spa) Team Radioshack | Row 70 - Cell 2 |
72 | Ivan Rovny (Rus) Team RadioShack | Row 71 - Cell 2 |
73 | Florian Morizot (Fra) Big Mat - Auber 93 | Row 72 - Cell 2 |
74 | Franck Bouyer (Fra) Bbox Bouygues Telecom | 0:00:42 |
75 | Perrig Quemeneur (Fra) Bbox Bouygues Telecom | Row 74 - Cell 2 |
76 | Arnoud Van Groen (Ned) Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team | Row 75 - Cell 2 |
77 | Javier Francisco Aramendia (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi | 0:00:44 |
78 | Pablo Urtasun Perez (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi | Row 77 - Cell 2 |
79 | Thomas Voeckler (Fra) Bbox Bouygues Telecom | 0:00:45 |
80 | Rein Taaramae (Est) Cofidis le Crédit en Ligne | 0:00:52 |
81 | Kevin Ista (Bel) Cofidis, le Credit en Ligne | Row 80 - Cell 2 |
82 | Jérémy Galland (Fra) Saur - Sojasun | 0:01:05 |
83 | Sandy Casar (Fra) Française Des Jeux | 0:01:08 |
84 | Laurent Mangel (Fra) Saur - Sojasun | 0:02:19 |
85 | Rony Martias (Fra) Saur - Sojasun | Row 84 - Cell 2 |
86 | Jérémy Roy (Fra) Française Des Jeux | Row 85 - Cell 2 |
87 | Benoït Vaugrenard (Fra) Française Des Jeux | Row 86 - Cell 2 |
88 | Alexander Wetterhall (Swe) Cervélo Test Team | 0:07:33 |
89 | Joaquin Novoa Menedez (Spa) Cervelo Test Team | 0:08:19 |
DNF | Stijn Vandenbergh (Bel) Team Katusha | Row 89 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Anthony Ravard (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale AG2R - La mondiale | Row 90 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Paride Grillo (Ita) CarmioOro NGC | Row 91 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Antonio Quadranti (Ita) CarmioOro NGC | Row 92 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Martial Ricci-Poggi (Fra) Landbouwkrediet | Row 93 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Grégory Barteau (Bel) Landbouwkrediet | Row 94 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Bart Dockx (Bel) Landbouwkrediet | Row 95 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Mathieu Drouilly (Bel) Landbouwkrediet | Row 96 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Niels Brouzes (Fra) Big Mat - Auber 93 | Row 97 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Matthieu Boulo (Fra) Roubaix Lille Metropole | Row 98 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Steven Tronet (Fra) Roubaix Lille Metropole | Row 99 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Lloyd Mondory (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 100 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Alexandre Lemair (Fra) Roubaix Lille Metropole | Row 101 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Alexander Mironov (Rus) Itera-Katusha Team Katusha | Row 102 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Mikhail Ignatiev (Rus) Team Katusha | Row 103 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Julien Loubet (Fra) AG2R - La mondiale | Row 104 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Fabien Bacquet (Fra) Big Mat - Auber 93 | Row 105 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Johan Mombaerts (Fra) Big Mat - Auber 93 | Row 106 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Damien Gaudin (Fra) BBox Bouygues Telecom | Row 107 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Clinton Avery (Nzl) Team RadioShack | Row 108 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Dmitriy Muravyev (Kaz) Team Radioshack | Row 109 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Gorka Izagirre Insausti (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi | Row 110 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Michael Van Staeyen (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator | Row 111 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Nicolas Jonathan Castroviejo (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi | Row 112 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Sébastien Fournet Fayard (Fra) Carmiooro - NGC | Row 113 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Yuriy Krivtsov (Ukr) AG2R La Mondiale AG2R - La mondiale | Row 114 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Jonathan Thire (Fra) Big Mat - Auber 93 | Row 115 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Arnaud Molmy (Fra) Roubaix Lille Metropole | Row 116 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Denis Galimzyanov (Rus) Team Katusha | Row 117 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Sébastien Turgot (Fra) Bbox Bouygues Telecom | Row 118 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Joao Correia (Por) Cervelo Test Team | Row 119 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Brett Lancaster (Aus) Cervelo Test Team | Row 120 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Cyril Dessel (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale AG2R - La mondiale | Row 121 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Sander Armee (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator | Row 122 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Lieuwe Westra (Ned) Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team | Row 123 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Eric Berthou (Fra) CarmioOro NGC | Row 124 - Cell 2 |
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