Paris-Barentin-Yvetot - 1.5

France, March 20, 2004

2003 Results Results Past winners

Renäng alone in the rain

By Tommy Prim, Team Bianchi Nordic sports director

Petter Renäng
Photo ©: Bianchi Nordic

Swedish Petter Renäng took his finest victory so far when he won Paris-Barentin-Yvetot solo after 197 kilometres of heavy winds and rain. The first break went already after a couple of kilometres with 14 riders that soon had a three minute and growing gap to the peloton with a four man group chasing in between.

There were more attacks in the peloton and another ten riders, with Renäng among them, managed to catch the front group after 120 kilometres and the race was to be decided in the three final 12 km laps around Yvetot.

On the first lap one of the remaining French riders attacked, followed by New Zealander Mark McKay. No one in the following group seemed interested in chasing after five hours of wind and rain. No one except Petter Renäng. On the final lap he first caught the two breakaways and left them immediately behind in a solo ride in the final seven kilometres.

This was Petter's finest victory, better than the 2001 edition of Scandinavian Open that he won on home ground in Sweden. With Petter's win and Kommo Kananen's seventh place Team Bianchi Nordic looks forward to the Tour of Normandy, starting Monday, with optimism.

Results - 197 km

1 Petter Renäng (Swe) Bianchi Nordic                5.05.29
2 Piergiorgio Camussa (Ita) Imperia                    0.24
3 David Martinez (Fra) AVC Aix                         0.38
4 Mark Roland (Aus) Wilton                             0.58
5 Pavel Sendal (Pol)                                   1.00
6 Mark McKay (Nzl) Bike New-Zealand 
7 Kimmo Kananen (Fin)  Bianchi Nordic
8 Eduard Vorganov (Rus) Russian team
9 Hervé Duclos-Lassalle (Fra) Crédit Agricole Espoirs
10 Robin Reid (Nzl) Marco Polo Cycling Team
11 Nicholas Roche (Irl) VC La Pomme Marseille          1.07
12 Vitalis Kaupas (Ltu) Lithuania
13 Camille Bouquet (Fra) VC Roubaix                    6.50
14 Olivier Martinez (Fra) AVC Aix
15 Thierry David (Fra) VC La Pomme Marseille          18.55
16 Mark Randall (Nzl) Bike New-Zealand                20'06

Courtesy of Stéphane David

Past winners

2001 Sébastien Six (Fra)
2000 Cédric Jourdan (Fra)
1999 Eric Duteil (Fra)
1998 Laurent Planchaud (Fra)
1997 Franck Laurance (Fra)

Past winners by Mario Stiehl, www.world-of-cycling.com