Brief:Gilles Maignan took the French ITT Championship from his teammate at Mutuelle de Seine-et-Marne, Francisque Teyssier, on the circuit at Malbuisson, by 7 seconds, averaging 52.57 km/h. The trials were held in hot sunny weather over a circuit that was deserted in terms of spectators. Festina's Christophe Bassons, was third, but at 53 seconds.This was Maignan's first professional victory just 15 days after he turned 30. In June, he signalled that he was improving in this discipline when he took 2nd place in the 41.2 kms ITT during the Criterium Dauphine Libere just behind Chris Boardman. Coming in just behind Bassons was Martial Locatelli (CC Etupes) who confirmed his class and will be an attractive rider for the professional teams in the coming round of contracts. 1997 Espoir's ITT champion, Big Mat's Guillaume Auger was 6th. Malbuisson, Elite French ITT Championships, 43.7 kms:1. Gilles Maignan (Mutuelle Seine-et-Marne) 52.57 2. Francisque Teyssier (Mutuelle Seine-et-Marne) 0.07 3. Christophe Bassons (Festina) 0.53 4. Martial Locatelli (CC Etupes) 3.22 5. Christophe Blanchard (Vendée U) 3.55 6. Guillaume Auger (Big Mat) 4.00 7. Stéphane Conan (Jean Floc'h Mantes) 4.12 8. Willy Viard (Cyclo 51) 4.13 9. Sean Van Court (EC Saint-Etienne Loire) 4.51 10. Stéphane Delimauges (VC Rouen 76) 5.22 11. Guillaume Destang (UC Felletin) 5.31 12. Arnaud Chauveau (UC Châteauroux) 5.33 13. Anthony Morin (La Française des Jeux) 5.54 14. Yvan Boos (Pédale d'Alsace) 5.56 15. Jean-Charles Martin (EC Toul) 6.49 Malbuisson, Women's French ITT Championships, 22.55 kms:1. Albine Caillie (Ile-de-France) 29.45 2. Laurence Leboucher (Normandie) 0.02 3. Pierrine Rainboeuf (Limousin) 1.54 4. Lucile Daventure (Bourgogne) 2.17 5. Chrystelle Goutelle (Lyonnais) 2.30 6. Juliette Vandekerkove (Flandre-Artois) 2.35 Malbuisson, Junior Men French ITT Championships, 21.55 kms:1. Anthony Geslin (Normandie) 28.34 2. Thomas Bodo (Flandres-Artois) 0.09 3. Guillaume Camet (Lyonnais) 0.14 4. Fabien Fleury (Normandie) 0.17 5. Jean Zen (Midi-Pyrénées) 0.30 |