26th Trofée des Grimpeurs - 1.3

France, April 30, 2000

1999 Results    Past Winners

Lap by Lap report

Courtesy of Stéphane David

85 riders were at the start under blue and sunny skies. They have to ride 16 laps for a total distance of 133.9 km (16 x 8.3 km). At each lap there¹s a climb (Côte de l'Ermitage, 400 meters long with a 13%) to get over. The finish line is of course just a the top of the climb.

Lap 1: The bunch is still compact. Christian Weber (Kia-Villiger) is first at the top followed by Sandy Casar (FDJ).

Lap 2: Charles Guilbert (Bonjour) followed by Christophe Moreau (Festina) and Cyril Dessel (Jean Delatour) and the whole bunch, except Jeremy Hunt (Big Mat) and Geoffrey Gremelpont (Ville de Charleroi), who recently turned pro but seems to suffer on this kind of route.

Lap 3: 3 riders (E.Magnien (FDJ), Christophe Moreau & Charles Guilbert) have a small advantage on the rest of the bunch: 12 seconds. Quickly, they are back in the peloton.

Lap 4: 5 riders take advantage of the climb to escape. Laurent Desbiens (Cofidis), Charles Guilbert (Bonjour), Jørgen Bo Petersen (Ville de Charleroi), Felix Garcia Casas (Festina) and Christophe Oriol (Jean Delatour) are at the front. The gap grows quickly to 15 seconds.

Lap 5: The five have roughly the same advantage on the bunch. Some riders are in difficulty at the back, like Benoit Salmon (he was ill, and gave up the next lap), Jean-Michel Thilloy and Thierry Gouvenou.

Lap 6: The gap is now up to 1:10 seconds. The bunch is led by Emmanuel Magnien (FDJ) and Alexandre Moos (Kia-Villiger) to the top of the climb. Stéphane Heulot (FDJ), the only ex-winner at the start and one of the favourites, is forced to give up after falling 100 meters from the top of Côte de llErmitage. Seems that he has been 'squeezed' and that he hit a barrier.

Lap 7: The gap is remaining around a minute. Some more riders are dropped from the bunch (e.g. Pascal Chanteur (AG2R)).

Lap 8: The 5 leaders have now an advantage of 1:45 seconds on 2 riders from Crédit Agricole (Jenner & Voigt), followed by Christophe Moreau (Festina) and Magnien (FDJ), and 2 minutes on the bunch containing around 50 riders.

Lap 9: The gap goes down to 1:35 seconds. The chase is mainly led by the riders of Crédit Agricole. Some more riders dropped: Sandy Casar (FDJ), Serguei Beloussov and Takehiro Mizutani (both Besson), Peter Jörg and Giuseppe Atzeni (both Kia-Villiger) and further Sébastien Hinault (Crédit Agricole).

Lap 10: Jørgen Bø Petersen (Ville de Charleroi) decides to go solo. He's got 10 seconds on the 4 riders he had escaped with, and 1:08 on the local rider Carlos DaCruz (Big Mat) and Jean-Cyril Robin (Bonjour), preceeding the bunch.

Lap 11: Danish rider Jørgen Bø Petersen (an ex-mountainbiker), 30 years old 2 weeks ago, has now widened the gap to 35 seconds with Garcia Casas, Desbiens, Oriol and Guilbert. The bunch is following at 1:20.

Lap 12: Petersen now has 50 seconds on the followers but the main bunch is getting closer at 1:05.

Lap 13: Jørgen Bø Petersen has now increased his advantage on the bunch (to 1:15) as Desbiens, Guilbert, Oriol and Garcia Casas have been caught.

Lap 14: Petersen still leads. For most of the people over here he is a genuine revelation. 6 riders decide to counter-attack: Frédéric Bessy and Patrice Halgand (both Jean Delatour), David Moncoutié (Cofidis), Christophe Moreau (Festina), Christophe Agnolutto (AG2R) and Walter Beneteau (Bonjour) are just 30 seconds behind the leader. The main bunch follows 15 seconds later.

Lap 15: (one lap to go) Petersen is heroic is still has 10 seconds on the 6 following riders, 30 seconds on Carlos Da Cruz and 48 seconds on the bunch.

Lap 16 (final lap): Finally, the group of 6 rejoin the Danish rider but keep a sufficient advantage to contest the victory. The sprint is launched by Christophe Moreau but Patrice Halgand seems the strongest and wins the 26th Trophée des Grimpeurs.

After a good Paris-Camembert, last Tuesday (he was 5th), Patrice Halgand will take some rest and will be back for the Midi Libre and Dauphiné Libéré. His targets for the season are the French Champs and then to be selected (if his team is!) for the Tour de France. There is then a possibility for the French Squad which will contest the World Championships in Plouay.

Results

Men - 133.2 km

1 Patrice Halgand (Fra) Jean Delatour             3.07.32 (42.55 km/h) 50 pts
2 Christophe Moreau (Fra) Festina-Lotus                                35 
3 Walter Beneteau (Fra) Bonjour-Tourpargel                             25 
4 David Moncoutie (Fra) Cofidis                                        20 
5 Chrsitophe Agnolutto (Fra) Ag2r-Prevoyance        0.15               18 
6 Jorgen Bo Petersen (Den) Ville de Charleroi                	       
7 Frédéric Bessy (Fra) Jean Delatour                0.23               14 
8 Felix Garcia-Casas (Fra) Festina-Lotus            0.35               12 
9 Anthony Morin (Fra) Crédit Agricole                                  10 
10 Yoann Le Boulanger (Fra) Cofidis                                     8 
11 Jens Voigt (Ger) Crédit Agricole                                     6 
12 Emmanuel Magnien (Fra) La Française des Jeux                         5 
13 Christophe Jenner (Nzl) Crédit Agricole                              3 
14 Lylian Lebreton (Fra) Big Mat-Aubervilliers 93                       3 
15 Ludovic Turpin (Fra) Ag2r-Prevoyance                                 3 
16 Médéric Clain (Fra) Besson Chausures                       
17 Xavier Jan (Fra) La Française des Jeux                     
18 Alexandre Moos (Swi) Kia-Villiger                          
19 Ivan Sastre (Esp) Festina-Lotus                            
20 Renaud Boxus (Bel) Ville de Charleroi                      
21 Frédéric Finot (Fra) Crédit Agricole                       
22 Noan Lelarge (Fra) Bonjour-Tourpargel                      
23 Janek Tombak (Est) Cofidis                                 
24 Philip Vereecke (Bel) Ville de Charleroi                   
25 Oleg Joukov (Rus) Big Mat-Aubervilliers 93                 
26 Alexandre Chouffe (Fra) Big Mat-Aubervilliers 93           
27 Sergey Yakovlev (Kaz) Besson Chaussures                    
28 Nicolas Fritsch (Fra) La Française des Jeux                
29 Laurent Lefevre (Fra) Cofidis                              
30 Carlos Da Cruz (Fra) Big Mat-Aubervilliers 93    0.55        
31 Laurent Brochard (Fra) Jean Delatour                       
32 David Chassot (Fra) Kia-Villiger                           
33 Vincent Templier (Fra) Saint Quentin                       
34 François Simon (Fra) Bonjour-Tourpargel          0.59        
35 Gilles Bouvard (Fra) Jean Delatour               1.04        
36 Dmitri Fofonov (Kaz) Besson Chaussures                     
37 David Lefevre (Fra) Cofidis                                
38 Cyril Robin Jean (Fra) Bonjour-Tourpargel                  
39 Nicolas Vogondy (Fra) La Française des Jeux                
40 Laurent Madouas (Fra) Festina-Lotus                        
41 Ludovic Auger (Fra) Big Mat-Aubervilliers 93               
42 Ludovic Capelle (Bel) Ville de Charleroi         1.13        
43 Lauri Aus (Est) Ag2r-Prevoyance                  1.17        
44 Florent Brard (Fra) Festina-Lotus                1.25        
45 Franck Bouyer (Fra) Bonjour-Tourpargel           1.29        
46 David Delrieu (Fra) Ag2r-Prevoyance              1.39        
47 Jérôme Bernard (Fra) Jean Delatour               2.04        
48 Bruno Thibout (Fra) Jean Delatour                2.07        
49 Christophe Gauthier (Fra) Besson Chaussures      4.06        
50 Frédéric Gabriel (Fra) Bonjour-Tourpargel        5.07        
51 Christophe Oriol (Fra) Jean Delatour             5.13        
52 Alexandre Botcharov (Rus) Ag2r-Prevoyance        6.01        
53 Sandy Casar (Fra) La Française des Jeux          9.17     
   
Results courtesy of Velomania       

Women - 59.2 km

1 Edita Pucinskaite (Lit) Alfa Lum                        1.38.47 (35.96 km/h)
2 Juliette Vandekerckhove (Fra) Flandre-Artois                       22 pts
3 Delphine Tonini (Fra) Midi-Pyrénées                                20
4 Fany Lecourtois (Fra) Alfa Lum                                     19
5 Yvonne Brunen (Ned) Farm Frites - Hartol                    
6 Géraldine Loewenguth (Fra) AS La Steigeoise                        17
7 Jeannie Longo-Ciprelli (Fra) Ile de France                         16
8 Aline Camboulives (Fra) Dauphiné-Savoie                            15
9 Karine Dalmais (Fra) VC Lagnieu                                    14
10 Magali Le Floc'h (Fra) UC Epernay                                 13
11 Elisabeth Chevanne-Brunel (Fra) Team C-F 24                       12
12 Séverine Desbouys (Fra) Provence                                  11
13 Alexandra Le Henaff (Fra) VS Quimpérois                           10
14 Maryline Salvetat (Fra) Midi-Pyrénées                              9
15 Nadia Triquet (Fra) Moselle                              0.15      8
16 Sandrine Marcuz (Fra) Midi-Pyrénées                                7
17 Olga Zabelinskaia (Rus) ASPTT Moselle - Alsace           0.19
18 Laurence Restoin (Fra) Aquitaine                         0.22      5
19 Sabine Gentieu (Fra) Aquitaine                                     4
20 Leigh Hobson (Can) Canada                                  
21 Virginie Moinard (Fra) US Métro Transport                  
22 Laëtitia Belaud (Fra) Centre Ouest                         
23 Sophie Creux (Fra) Dauphiné-Savoie                       0.31
24 Claudia Saintagne (Bre) CC Pommeuse                      0.41
25 Leah Goldstein (Can) Canada                              1.02
26 Emmanuel Farcy (Fra) VC Rouen 76                         2.57
27 France-Line Catherine (Fra) US Métro Transport           2.59
28 Stéphanie Reymond (Fra) Team C-F 24                      3.12
29 Aurélie Anaise (Fra) UC Athis La Carneille               3.13
30 Karine Saysset (Fra) VC Millau                           4.44
31 Béatrice Thomas (Fra) UCC Vivonne                          
32 Corinne Sempe (Fra) Aquitaine                              
33 Delphine Guille (Fra) Centre Ouest                         
34 Gwenn Oster (Fra) VS Lannion - Perros-Guirrec              
35 Gaëlle Brunet (Fra) Centre Ouest                         4.46
36 Janildes Silva (Bre) CC Pommeuse                           
37 Rikke Sandhoj-Olsen (Den) Farm Frites - Hartol             
38 Sonia Huguet (Fra) ASPTT Moselle - Alsace                4.52
39 Céline Bobey (Fra) ES Valettoise                         4.57
40 Maud Nottebaert (Fra) Flandre-Artois                     5.02
41 Emilie Harmand (Fra) Moselle                             5.06
42 Solenne Pennors (Fra) CC Moncontourais                     
43 Chrystelle Goutelle (Fra) EC Beaujolaise                   
44 Sharon Van Essen (Ned) Farm Frites - Hartol                
45 Rebecca Menart (Fra) Team C-F 24                           
46 Delphine Deschamps (Fra) ES Condé-Sur-Noireau              
47 Isabelle Moulis (Fra) Midi-Pyrénées                      5.19
48 Rimma Iachkina (Rus) ASPTT Moselle - Alsace              5.24
49 Chantal Gorostegui (Fra) Team C-F 24                       
50 Estelle Lehmann (Fra) ASPTT Moselle - Alsace               
51 Sylvie Levillain (Fra) VC Rouen 76                       9.10
52 Blandine Camus (Fra) Charvieu-Chavagneu                  9.58
53 Fabienne Paire (Fra) Dauphiné-Savoie                    10.53
54 Soledad Manias (Fra) Moselle                               
55 Odile Carre (Fra) Midi-Pyrénées                            
56 Stéphanie Cresson (Fra) Flandre-Artois                  11.00
57 Karine Martino (Fra) US Métro Transport                 11.03
58 Emilie Bailly (Fra) Centre Ouest                        11.07
59 Sophie Laurenceau (Fra) CC Nogent-Sur-Oise                 
60 Isabelle Herve (Fra) Centre Ouest                          
61 Anne Colin (Fra) Centre Ouest                           11.28
62 Aude Le Gall (Fra) VC Quintin                           16.55

Coupe De France standings after 3 rounds:

1 Juliette Vandekerckhove (Fra) Flandre-Artois                  61 pts
2 Fany Lecourtois (Fra) Alfa Lum                                61
3 Géraldine Loewenguth (Fra) AS La Steigeoise                   60
4 Magali Le Floc'h (Fra) UC Epernay                             45
5 Maryline Salvetat (Fra) Midi-Pyrénées                         42
6 Karine Dalmais (Fra) VC Lannieu                               40
7 Aline Camboulives (Fra) Dauphiné-Savoie                       33
8 Alexandra Le Henaff (Fra) Finistere                           32
9 Marion Clignet (Fra) Acca Due O - Lorena                      25
10 Séverine Desbouys (Fra) Provence                             24
11 Elodie Touffet (Fra) Pays de Loire                           23
12 Elisabeth Chevanne-Brunel (Fra) Team CF 24                   23
13 Laurence Restoin (Fra) Aquitaine                             21
14 Delphine Tonini (Fra) Midi-Pyrénées                          20
15 Jeannie Longo-Ciprelli (Fra) Ile de France                   16
16 Sandrine Marcuz (Fra) Midi-Pyrénées                          16
17 Albine Caillie (Fra) Ile de France                           15
18 Odile Carre (Fra) Midi-Pyrénées                              12
19 Sophie Creux (Fra) Dauphiné-Savoie                           11
20 Emmanuelle Farcy (Fra) Seine-Maritime                        10
21 Laëtitia Belaud (Fra) Pays de Loire                          10
22 Sabine Gentieu (Fra) Aquitaine                               10
23 Isabelle Nicoloso-Verger (Fra) Condé Sur Noireau              8
24 Nadia Triquet (Fra) Moselle                                   8
25 Sylvie Riedle (Fra) ASPTT Moselle                             6
26 Virginie Moinard (Fra) Ile de France                          5
27 Béatrice Thomas (Fra) UCC Vivonne                             5
28 Karine Peter (Fra) Team CF 24                                 4
29 Corinne Sempe (Fra) France Police                             4

Results courtesy of Velomania

Preview

The 26th edition of this French race to be held today is run on the hilly circuit of Argenteuil-Sannois in the western suburbs of Paris. 'Grimpeur' means 'climber' in French and this race has no shortage of ups and downs. The circuit is 8.3 kilometres long and is completed 16 times, for a total distance of 133.9 kilometres. The main obstacle is the Côte de l'Ermitage (300 m high at 13%), which usually sorts out the best climber after 17 laps. The race is part of the Coupe de France, currently led by Ag2r's Jaan Kirsipuu, but this is certainly not his preferred course.

It is more likely one for the likes of Laurent Brochard (Jean Delatour), Didier Rous (Bonjour), David Moncoutié (Cofidis), Stéphane Heulot (FdJ), and Benoit Salmon (Ag2r). Also, Credit Agricole's Jens Voigt and Bobby Julich (2nd last year) are good picks. Festina (C. Moreau), Saint-Quentin, Besson, Charleroi, and Kia are some of the other teams in the race.

The race is organised by Josette Leulliot, who used to run Paris-Nice before she sold it to Laurent Fignon. This year, she has introduced a women's edition, to be raced over 59.2 kilometres. Lithuanian Edita Pucinskaite, Jeannie Longo, Fany Lecourtois and Juliette Vandekerkhove are some of the names down to ride.

Past Winners

1994 Richard Virenque (Fra)
1995 Armand de las Cuevas (Fra)
1996 Stéphane Heulot
1997 Davide Rebellin (Ita)
1998 Pascal Hervé (Fra) 133.3 kms in 3.14.03
1999 Laurent Roux (Fra) Casino 133.3 kms in 3.09.47