54th Paris-Bourges - 1.2

France, October 7, 2004

2003 Results Results Past winners

Pineau best of seven

Pineau and Rebellin
Photo: © Daniel Schamps

Jérôme Pineau (Brioches La Boulangère) won the 54th edition of Paris-Bourges in a seven man sprint ahead of Martin Elmiger (Phonak) and Davide Rebellin (Gerolsteiner). The break formed on the Côte de Jars, just after the halfway point, and was never seen again by the peloton. Thor Hushovd (Crédit Agricole) was not present, but had more than enough points to claim the overall classification in the season-long Coupe de France competition.

How it unfolded

121 riders were at the start of the 54th Paris-Bourges race, which marked the end of the French Cup calendar, won this year by Norwegian Thor Hushovd (Crédit Agricole). The race started quickly, as 48 kilometres were covered during the first hour. The first break attempt of the day saw René Haselbacher (Gerolsteiner), Gerben Löwik (Chocolade Jacques), Matthé Pronk (Bankgiroloterij) and Maryan Hary (La Boulangère) escaped at km 4, but were back inside the bunch approximately 10 km later.

After the first intermediate sprint of the day, where the points were taken by Saulius Ruskys (Oktos), a group of 22 formed with Davide Rebellin in it, as well as three other Gerolsteiner teammates. But the peloton at the back paid attention and, with mainly Crédit Agricole doing the job, it moved up on the breakaway by km 55, just before one of the main hills of the parcours.

The peloton was groupé for the next part of the race, the but attacks did not stop with Stéphane Barthe (Oktos) and Swiss champion Gregory Rast (Phonak) making the pace just after the next intermediate sprint (km 75, Ruskys again) and another attempt soon after. However, nobody managed to get away, and it was only at the Côte de Jars (km 101) that the real fun began.

Jörg Jaksche (CSC) was leading the pack onto the climb when it exploded, and a group of eight riders emerged: Jérôme Pineau and Maryan Hary (Brioches La Boulangère), Nicolas Fritsch (Fdjeux.com), Cédric Vasseur (Cofidis), Martin Elmiger (Phonak), Jurgen Van de Walle (Chocolade Jacques), Davide Rebellin (Gerolsteiner) and the German rider from CSC had a 40 second lead at the top of the climb, but it grew rapidly to 1'30 in Chavignol (km 125). The next climb, the Côte dur Gravirol, didn't change the situation much for the breakaway, except for Maryan Hary getting dropped. The peloton behind was disintegrating as riders like Mauricio Ardila and Florent Brard (Chocolade Jacques) tried to bridge the gap to the front, in vain. A counter attack of eight riders including Ardila, Brard, Botcharov, Farazijn, Hary and De Clercq tried hard, but the gap only grew bigger - 2'50 in Henrichemont, 30 km to go, with the peloton at 4'40 behind. It also started to rain...

At the finish, Jérôme Pineau wanted to make up for his 32nd placing in Verona and hit the gas. The 24 year-old is an excellent finisher, and proved this by beating fast men Martin Elmiger and Davide Rebellin. A rewarding victory, which gave him enough points to become the top French rider in the UCI rankings.

Results

1 Jerome Pineau (Fra) Brioches la Boulangere
2 Martin Elmiger (Swi) Phonak Hearing Systems
3 Davide Rebellin (Ita) Gerolsteiner
4 Cédric Vasseur (Fra) Cofidis, Le Crédit par Téléphone            0.02
5 Jörg Jaksche (Ger) Team CSC                           
6 Jurgen Van De Walle (Bel) Chocolade Jacques-Wincor Nixdorf
7 Nicolas Fritsch (Fra) FDJeux.com                                 0.07
8 Vladimir Gussev (Rus) CSC                                        5.01 
9 Michael Albasini (Swi) Phonak
10 Alexandre Botcharov (Rus) Credit Agricole
11 Florent Brard (Fra) Chocolade Jacques-Wincor Nixdorf            5.04
12 Uros Murn (Slo) Phonak Hearing Systems                          5.16
13 Christophe Brandt (Bel) Lotto-Domo     
14 Peter Farazijn (Bel) Cofidis, Le Crédit par Téléphone     
15 Maryan Hary (Fra) Brioches la Boulangère     
16 Stefan Van Dijk (Ned) Lotto-Domo                                8.02
17 Lars Michaelsen (Den) Team CSC     
18 Aart Vierhouten (Ned) Lotto-Domo     
19 Andy De Smet (Bel) MrBookmaker.com-Palmans     
20 Gert Steegmans (Bel) Lotto-Domo     
21 John Nilsson (Swe) Auber 93     
22 Zbigniew Piatek (Pol) Chocolade Jacques-Wincor Nixdorf     
23 Cezary Zamana (Pol) Chocolade Jacques-Wincor Nixdorf     
24 Robert Förster (Ger) Gerolsteiner     
25 Carlos Dacruz (Fra) FDJeux.com     
26 Christophe Rinero (Fra) R.A.G.T Semences-MG Rover     
27 David Boucher (Fra) Oktos-Saint Quentin     
28 Philippe Gilbert (Bel) FDJeux.com     
29 Pavel Brutt (Rus) Lokomotiv     
30 Denys Kostyuk (Ukr) Chocolade Jacques-Wincor Nixdorf     
31 Rémy Pauriol (Fra) Ag2R Prevoyance     
32 Laurent Paumier (Fra) Auber 93     
33 Simon Gerrans (Aus) Ag2R Prevoyance     
34 Remco Van Der Ven (Ned) BankGiroLoterij     
35 Serguei Klimov (Rus) Lokomotiv     
36 Eric Berthou (Fra) R.A.G.T Semences-MG Rover     
37 Jens Renders (Bel) MrBookmaker.com-Palmans     
38 Maxim Gurov (Kaz) Oktos      
39 Marcus Fothen (Ger) Gerolsteiner     
40 Andrey Mizourov (Kaz) Oktos-Saint Quentin                       8.21
41 Uwe Hardter (Ger) Gerolsteiner     
42 David Breard (Fra) Auber 93     
43 Frédéric Gabriel (Fra) MrBookmaker.com-Palmans
44 Serguey Krushevsiy (Uzb) Oktos
45 Frédéric Guesdon (Fra) FDJeux.com
46 Nicolas Vogondy (Fra) FDJeux.com
47 Erwin Thijs (Bel) MrBookmaker.com-Palmans
48 Baden Cooke (Aus) FDJeux.com
49 Matthé Pronk (Ned) BankGiroLoterij
50 Mauricio Alberto Ardila (Col) Chocolade Jacques-Wincor Nixdorf
51 Jaan Kirsipuu (Est) AG2r Prévoyance
52 Sascha Urweider (Swi) Saeco-Romer's-Wetzikon
53 Ben Day (Aus) MrBookmaker.com-Palmans
54 Léonardo Duque (Col) Chocolade Jacques Wincor-Nixdorf
55 Yannick Talabardon (Fra) Auber 93
56 Anthony Geslin (Fra) Brioches la Boulangère
57 Christophe Kern (Fra) Brioches la Boulangère
58 Kevin Van Impe (Bel) Lotto-Domo
59 Thomas Ziegler (Ger) Gerolsteiner     
60 Cyril Dessel (Fra) Phonak Hearing Systems     
61 Alexandre Usov (Blr) Phonak Hearing Systems     
62 Brian Vandborg (Den) Team CSC     
63 Andy Schleck (Lux) Team CSC     
64 Tristan Hoffman (Ned) Team CSC     
65 Frank Høj (Den) Team CSC     
66 Frédéric Bessy (Fra) Cofidis, Le Crédit par Téléphone     
67 Marco Serpellini (Ita) Gerolsteiner     
68 Matthieu Sprick (Fra) Brioches la Boulangère     
69 Leon Van Bon (Ned) Lotto-Domo     
70 Grégory Rast (Swi) Phonak Hearing Systems     
71 Bingen Fernandez Bustinza (Spa) Cofidis, Le Crédit par Téléphone     
72 Christophe Edaleine (Fra) Cofidis, Le Crédit par Téléphone     
73 Erki Pütsep (Est) AG2r Prévoyance                                8.33

Final Coupe de France standings

1 Thor Hushovd (Nor) Crédit Agricole                                 199 pts

Courtesy of Stéphane David

Past winners

2003 Jens Voigt (Ger) Credit Agricole
2002 Allan Johansen (Den) EDS-fakta
2001 Florent Brard (Fra) Festina
2000 Laurent Brochard (Fra)
1999 Daniele Nardello (Ita)
1998 Ludo Dierckxsens (Bel)
1997 Laurent Roux (Fra)
1996 Tristan Hoffman (Ned)
1995 Daniele Nardello (Ita)
1994 Lars Michaelsen (Den)
1993 Bruno Cornillet (Fra)
1991 Andrej Tchmil (Rus)
1990 Laurent Jalabert (Fra)
1988 Patrice Esnault (Fra)
1987 Kim Andersen (Den)
1986 Domenique Lecrocq (Fra)
1985 Niki Rüttimann (Swi)
1983 Stephen Roche (Ire)
1982 Didier Vanoverschelde (Fra)
1981 Francis Castaing (Fra)
1980 Yves Hézard (Fra)
1979 Jean-René Bernaudeau (Fra)
1978 Regis Ovion (Fra)
1977 R. Delepine (Fra)
1976 Jean-Paul Molineris (Fra)
1975 Jean-Paul Danguilaume (Fra)
1974 Barry Hoban (GB)
1973 A. Berland (Fra)
1972 Cyril Guimard (Fra)
1971 Ricci (Fra)
1957 Raymond Guegan (Fra)
1956 Joseph Morvan (Fra)
1955 Jean-Marie Cieleska (Fra)
1954 Jean Stablinski (Fra)
1953 Robert Varnajo (Fra)
1952 Stanislas Bober (Fra)
1951 Jean-Marie Goasmat (Fra)
1950 Armand Audaire (Fra)
1949 Marcel Dussault (Fra)
1948 Marcel Dussault (Fra)
1947 Albert Bourlon (Fra)
1925 Deschamps (Fra)
1924 Marcel Bidot (Fra)
1923 Jean Brunier (Fra)
1922 Godart (Fra)
1917 Charles Juseret (Bel)
1913 Marceau Narcy (Fra)


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