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55th Circuit de la Sarthe - 2.1
France, April 10-13, 2007
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Stage 2a - April 11: Riaillé - Angers, 99.80 km
Paride Grillo one year later
By Jean-François Quénet in Angers
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Paride Grillo won the same stage as last year in the Circuit de la Sarthe in Angers in the morning preceding the individual time trial. It appeared like a relief to the 25 year-old from Panaria, who hadn't won a race this year yet.
"I was really upset after missing the win in stage one," he said. "I was going well and my team had formed a train. Unfortunately, the wind helped those who were behind us. They passed us with 200 meters to go." Taking a lesson of what happened in Riaillé, Panaria gave the way to other teams to prepare for the final sprint. This time, Grillo played like a snake behind Robert Förster who had to collect another second place. The German didn't have all of his energy left because he had to change a wheel within 20km to go after a puncture.
"It wasn't an easy win", Grillo said, although it looked very easy for him. The Italian was extremely happy afterwards. "I was nervous when I came to the Circuit de la Sarthe because I hadn't won a race this year yet. I haven't raced much, I had some problems and I crashed at Tirreno-Adriatico and Milan-San Remo, but my form is good now. It's improving crescendo. I want to be in my best shape for the Giro d'Italia."
The problems he talked about is related to the Tour of Valencia where he was declared unfit to race because of a too high heamatocrit level. He came back racing after 15 days off.
Angelo Furlan, the winner of stage one, retained his lead but it's over for the sprinters now at the Circuit de la Sarthe. An individual time trial on the same course in Angers where Ivan Basso won last year will give a new hierarchy to the event.
How it unfolded
Kilian Patour (Slipstream) was the first man in action, as the peloton wasn't too motivated in the morning, covering only 36 kilometers in the first hour. The Frenchman from the US team got a three-minutes lead but then found his place back in the pack. Nicolas Crosbie (Bouygues Telecom) then succeeded in a lone breakaway.
Like the day before with Lilian Jégou and Anthony Ravard, it was a local boy riding away in the province of Maine-et-Loire where he lives. Crosbie was allowed to get a six minute advantage before the teams of Crédit Agricole and Gerolsteiner decided to give the bunch a higher pace. They rode hard especially with 20km to go. As Robert Förster had a flat tyre on the finishing circuit in Angers - to be covered three times - Gerolsteiner stopped chasing for a while and brought their sprinter back. Crosbie got caught with five kilometres to go.
Italian time triallist Vicenzo Nibali (Liquigas) tried his luck but there was another bunch sprint finish. Förster took the last curve in first position with Grillo on his wheel. The Italian passed him a long way before the line and won.
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by Régis Garnier/www.velofotopro.com
- Nicolas Crosbie (Bouygues Telecom) made a solo escape.
- Paride Grillo (Ceramica Panaria-Navigare) wins stage 2a.
- Paride Grillo (Ceramica Panaria-Navigare) on the podium.
- Race leader Angelo Furlan (Credit Agricole) is congratulated by his team director Roger Legey.
Results
1 Paride Grillo (Ita) Ceramica Panaria-Navigare 2.30.58 (39.66 km/h) 2 Robert Förster (Ger) Gerolsteiner 3 Jean-Patrick Nazon (Fra) AG2r Prévoyance 4 Anthony Ravard (Fra) Agritubel 5 Ariel Maximimiliano Richeze (Arg) Ceramica Panaria-Navigare 6 Christopher Sutton (Aus) Cofidis-Le Crédit par Téléphone 7 Adam Wadecki (Pol) Ceramica Flaminia 8 Antonio Bucciero (Ita) Ceramica Panaria-Navigare 9 Fabien Bacquet (Fra) Skil-Shimano 10 Gianluca Geremia (Ita) Ceramica Flaminia 11 Angelo Furlan (Ita) Crédit Agricole 12 Steven Tronet (Fra) Roubaix Lille Metropole 13 Andrus Aug (Est) Ceramica Flaminia 14 Magnus Backstedt (Swe) Liquigas 15 Matthieu Ladagnous (Fra) Française des Jeux 16 Stefano Boggia (Ita) Ceramica Flaminia 17 Jérémy Galland (Fra) Auber 18 Laurent Brochard (Fra) Bouygues Telecom 19 Mickael Delage (Fra) Française des Jeux 20 Freddy Bichot (Fra) Agritubel 21 Steven Cozza (USA) Team Slipstream powered by Chipotle 22 José Alberto Martinez (Spa) Agritubel 23 Giovanni Bernaudeau (Fra) Bouygues Telecom 24 Steve Chainel (Fra) Auber 25 David Derepas (Fra) Roubaix Lille Metropole 26 Andreas Kloden (Ger) Astana 27 Nicolas Roche (Irl) Crédit Agricole 28 Taylor Tolleson (USA) Team Slipstream powered by Chipotle 29 Christoph Meschenmoser (Ger) Skil-Shimano 30 Ludovic Turpin (Fra) AG2r Prévoyance 31 Maxim Iglinskiy (Kaz) Astana 32 Olivier Bonnaire (Fra) Bouygues Telecom 33 Christian Müller (Ger) Skil-Shimano 34 Mikel Gaztanaga (Spa) Agritubel 35 Guillaume Levarlet (Fra) Auber 36 Markus Fothen (Ger) Gerolsteiner 37 Piet Rooijakkers (Ned) Skil-Shimano 38 Stéphane Auge (Fra) Cofidis-Le Crédit par Téléphone 39 Michael Albasini (Swi) Liquigas 40 Johan Lindgren (Swe) Française des Jeux 41 Christophe Diguet (Fra) Auber 42 Christophe Edaleine (Fra) Crédit Agricole 43 Damien Monier (Fra) Cofidis-Le Crédit par Téléphone 44 Carlos Da Cruz (Fra) Française des Jeux 45 Benoît Vaugrenard (Fra) Française des Jeux 46 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas 47 William Frischkorn (USA) Team Slipstream powered by Chipotle 48 Christophe Moreau (Fra) AG2r Prévoyance 49 Paolo Savoldelli (Ita) Astana 50 Mickael Larpe (Fra) Roubaix Lille Metropole 51 Filippo Savini (Ita) Ceramica Panaria-Navigare 52 Maxim Gourov (Kaz) Astana 53 Sergiy Matveyev (Ukr) Ceramica Panaria-Navigare 54 Thomas Frei (Swi) Astana 55 Vladimir Duma (Ukr) Ceramica Flaminia 56 David Le Lay (Fra) Bretagne-Armor Lux 57 Julien Loubet (Fra) AG2r Prévoyance 58 Piotr Zielinski (Pol) Bretagne-Armor Lux 59 Yukihiro Doi (Jpn) Skil-Shimano 60 Huub Duyn (Ned) Team Slipstream powered by Chipotle 61 Kilian Patour (Fra) Team Slipstream powered by Chipotle 62 Markus Zberg (Swi) Gerolsteiner 63 Frédéric Finot (Fra) Roubaix Lille Metropole 64 Eddy Mazzoleni (Ita) Astana 65 Mikhaylo Khalilov (Ukr) Ceramica Flaminia 66 Florian Morizot (Fra) Auber 67 Matej Murgeli (Slo) Liquigas 68 Simon Gerrans (Aus) AG2r Prévoyance 69 Bradley Wiggins (GBr) Cofidis-Le Crédit par Téléphone 70 Johannes Fröhlinger (Ger) Gerolsteiner 71 Dimitri Champion (Fra) Bouygues Telecom 72 Charles Guilbert (Fra) Bretagne-Armor Lux 73 Paul Martens (Ger) Skil-Shimano 74 Nicolas Vogondy (Fra) Agritubel 75 Christophe Kern (Fra) Crédit Agricole 76 Maryan Hary (Fra) Cofidis-Le Crédit par Téléphone 77 Lilian Jegou (Fra) Française des Jeux 78 Cédric Coutouly (Fra) Agritubel 79 Stéphane Petilleau (Fra) Bretagne-Armor Lux 80 Jonathan Hivert (Fra) Crédit Agricole 81 Pierre Rolland (Fra) Crédit Agricole 82 Paul Brousse (Fra) Roubaix Lille Metropole 83 Tyler Butterfield (Ber) Team Slipstream powered by Chipotle 84 Maxime Mederel (Fra) Auber 85 Marcel Strauss (Swi) Gerolsteiner 86 Mattei Priamo (Ita) Ceramica Panaria-Navigare 87 Philip Deignan (Irl) AG2r Prévoyance 88 Rik Verbrugghe (Bel) Cofidis-Le Crédit par Téléphone 89 Noan Lelarge (Fra) Bretagne-Armor Lux 90 Torsten Hiekmann (Ger) Gerolsteiner 91 Nicolas Crosbie (Fra) Bouygues Telecom 0.22 92 Anthony Colin (Fra) Roubaix Lille Metropole 0.34 93 Julien Belgy (Fra) Bouygues Telecom 0.36 General classificationn after stage 2a 1 Angelo Furlan (Ita) Credit Agricole 7.01.40 2 Kilian Patour (Fra) Team Slipstream 0.03 3 Robert Förster (Ger) Gerolsteiner 0.04 4 Jean-Patrick Nazon (Fra) Ag2R Prevoyance 0.06 5 Matthieu Ladagnous (Fra) Francaise des Jeux 6 Lilian Jegou (Fra) Francaise des Jeux 0.07 7 Anthony Ravard (Fra) Agritubel 0.08 8 Stéphane Auge (Fra) Cofidis 9 Paride Grillo (Ita) Ceramica Panaria-Navigare 0.10 10 Ariel Maximimiliano Richeze (Arg) Ceramica Panaria-Navigare 11 Adam Wadecki (Pol) Ceramica Flamina 12 Fabien Bacquet (Fra) Skil-Shimano 13 Andrus Aug (Est) Ceramica Flamina 14 Christopher Sutton (Aus) Cofidis 15 Steven Tronet (Fra) Roubaix Lille Metropole 16 Laurent Brochard (Fra) Bouygues Telecom 17 Magnus Backstedt (Swe) Liquigas 18 Jérémy Galland (Fra) Auber 93 19 Steve Chainel (Fra) Auber 93 20 Mikel Gaztanaga (Esp) Agritubel 21 Gianluca Geremia (Ita) Ceramica Flamina 22 Piet Rooijakkers (Ned) Skil-Shimano 23 Giovanni Bernaudeau (Fra) Bouygues Telecom 24 Steven Cozza (USA) Team Slipstream 25 José Alber. Martinez (Esp) Agritubel 26 Nicolas Roche (Irl) Credit Agricole 27 Carlos Da Cruz (Fra) Francaise des Jeux 28 David Derepas (Fra) Roubaix Lille Metropole 29 Taylor Tolleson (Usa) Team Slipstream 30 Olivier Bonnaire (Fra) Bouygues Telecom 31 Stefano Boggia (Ita) Ceramica Flamina 32 Mickael Larpe (Fra) Roubaix Lille Metropole 33 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas 34 Johan Lindgren (Swe) Francaise des Jeux 35 Andreas Kloden (Ger) Astana 36 Maxim Iglinskiy (Kaz) Astana 37 Maxim Gourov (Kaz) Astana 38 Mickael Delage (Fra) Francaise des Jeux 39 Guillaume Levarlet (Fra) Auber 93 40 Christophe Diguet (Fra) Auber 93 41 Markus Fothen (Ger) Gerolsteiner 42 William Frischkorn (USA) Team Slipstream 43 Damien Monier (Fra) Cofidis 44 Ludovic Turpin (Fra) Ag2R Prevoyance 45 Freddy Bichot (Fra) Agritubel 46 Christophe Edaleine (Fra) Credit Agricole 47 Simon Gerrans (Aus) Ag2R Prevoyance 48 Piotr Zielinski (Pol) Bretagne Armor Lux 49 Chris. Meschenmoser (Ger) Skil-Shimano 50 Thomas Frei (Sui) Astana 55 Markus Zberg (Sui) Gerolsteiner 56 Vladimir Duma (Ukr) Ceramica Flamina 57 Michael Albasini (Sui) Liquigas 58 Florian Morizot (Fra) Auber 93 59 Christian Müller (Ger) Skil-Shimano 60 Benoît Vaugrenard (Fra) Francaise des Jeux 61 Paolo Savoldelli (Ita) Astana 62 Bradley Wiggins (GBr) Cofidis 63 Huub Duyn (Ned) Team Slipstream 64 Frédéric Finot (Fra) Roubaix Lille Metropole 65 Matej Murgeli (Slo) Liquigas 66 Christophe Moreau (Fra) Ag2R Prevoyance 67 Christophe Kern (Fra) Credit Agricole 68 Eddy Mazzoleni (Ita) Astana 69 Yukihiro Doi (Jpn) Skil-Shimano 70 Johannes Fröhlinger (Ger) Gerolsteiner 71 Filippo Savini (Ita) Ceramica Panaria-Navigare 72 Cédric Coutouly (Fra) Agritubel 73 Pierre Rolland (Fra) Credit Agricole 74 Mikhaylo Khalilov (Ukr) Ceramica Flamina 75 Charles Guilbert (Fra) Bretagne Armor Lux 76 Dimitri Champion (Fra) Bouygues Telecom 77 Stéphane Petilleau (Fra) Bretagne Armor Lux 78 Maryan Hary (Fra) Cofidis 79 Paul Brousse (Fra) Roubaix Lille Metropole 80 Noan Lelarge (Fra) Bretagne Armor Lux 81 Nicolas Vogondy (Fra) Agritubel 82 Philip Deignan (Irl) Ag2R Prevoyance 83 Tyler Butterfield (Ber) Team Slipstream 84 Jonathan Hivert (Fra) Credit Agricole 85 Maxime Mederel (Fra) Auber 93 86 Rik Verbrugghe (Bel) Cofidis 87 Marcel Strauss (Sui) Gerolsteiner 88 Torsten Hiekmann (Ger) Gerolsteiner 89 Anthony Colin (Fra) Roubaix Lille Metropole 0.44 90 Julien Belgy (Fra) Bouygues Telecom 0.46 91 Mattei Priamo (Ita) Ceramica Panaria-Navigare 0.53 92 Antonio Bucciero (Ita) Ceramica Panaria-Navigare 1.02 93 Nicolas Crosbie (Fra) Bouygues Telecom 1.08
