18th Grand Prix de Plumelec-Morbihan - 1.1

France, May 31, 2008

2007 Results Results Past winners

Voeckler is back where it all started

By Jean-François Quénet in Plumelec

Thomas Voeckler (Bouygues Telecom)
Photo ©: Fabrice Lambert

Just like in 2004, a few weeks before becoming French champion and holding the yellow jersey for ten days in the Tour de France, Thomas Voeckler has won the Grand Prix of Plumelec in the exact same place where stage one of the Grand Boucle will finish this July. In succeeding 2007 winner Simon Gerrans, Voeckler outsprinted his only breakaway companion Cyril Gautier, a very promising rider from the local Bretagne-Armor Lux outfit.

"On the final climb, the public called me a 'suceur de roues' (wheel sucker) but the people know that I'm not like that, I understand they wanted to see a young Breton rider winning in Brittany," Voeckler said. "I like Gautier's fighting spirit. At his age, I wasn't able to do what he does now."

The 20 year-old Gautier has amazed the home crowd once again. After breaking his collarbone during the Tour of the Mediterranean in April, he was only able to resume racing at the Trophée des Grimpeurs where he claimed a top-10 finish one month ago. "I never thought I'd be able to race like this at this level today," Gautier explained. "I fought as much as I could. I've had a lot of emotions in front of this crowd. But I never thought I could beat Thomas. He was the strongest. He was more confident than me as well."

The partnership with Gautier gave Voeckler the belief that their attack, launched with 30km to go, could be a successful one. "He was the ideal companion," the Bouygues Telecom captain said. "I attacked him with 15km to go but I didn't want to drop him off. I just had the impression that he wasn't giving 100 percent."

Big crowds
Photo ©: Fabrice Lambert

Voeckler's victory was his second of the year after the Circuit de la Sarthe in April. "I hope that winning here is a good sign for the Tour de France as much as it was back in 2004," he added. He's one of the 189 starters of the Tour who will target the yellow jersey in Plumelec in five weeks' time, and is one of the few who know the secrets of this legendary cycling area.

How it unfolded

During the first part of race, a 53 km loop around Plumelec, a group went away but Bretagne-Armor Lux brought it back since they had only one man in the front: Cyril Gautier. On the circuit of Plumelec, with ten laps (110km) to go, two Estonians tried to reproduce their domination in amateur cycling like last year: Rein Taraamae (Cofidis) and Tanel Kangert (Ag2r) together with Mathieu Sprick (Bouygues Telecom).

The podium
Photo ©: Fabrice Lambert

They had a maximum advantage of 1'25 over a group of 26 counter attackers. A strong chase was launched with six laps to go by Benjamin Gourgues (Landbouwkrediet), Noan Lelarge (Bretagne-Armor Lux), Carl Naibo (Apiflo) and Jérémy Galland (Auber 93). The leading trio got caught with 4 laps to go - the last five laps were shorter at 7.7 km each. That's when Thomas Voeckler (Bouygues Telecom) and Gautier took off with 30km to go.

Eleven riders tried to bring them back: Dimitri Fofonov and Rémi Pauriol (Crédit Agricole), Cyrille Monnerais (Française des Jeux), Cédric Coutouly and Eduardo Gonzalo (Agritubel), Nico Sijmens (Landbouwkrediet), Arnold Jeannesson (Auber 93), Amaël Moinard (Cofidis), Lelarge, Sprick and Kangert. Three more made the junction: Jérôme Pineau (Bouygues Telecom), Nicolas Jalabert (Agritubel) and Gianni Meersmann (Française des Jeux).

Despite the gap being under a minute (42 seconds with two laps to go), the 14 chasers never made it. Voeckler attacked Gautier with 15km to go, but the two remained together. He let the young Breton lead out the sprint on the hill of Cadoudal, but accelerated for the win with less than 100 metres remaining. Meersmann was the fastest for third place while David Le Lay (Bretagne-Armor Lux) maintained his lead in the French cup standings.

Photography

For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here

Images by Fabrice Lambert

Five-time Tour de France winner Bernard Hinault with some young Bretagne cyclists at the start.
The start of the Grand Prix de Plumelec-Morbihan.
Big crowds gathered on the climbs.
The peloton crosses a river in Brittany.
Carl Naibo (Differdange Apiflo Vacances) goes on the attack.
Mathieu Sprick (Bouygues Telecom), Rein Taaramae (Cofidis) and Tanel Kangert (Ag2R) in the breakaway.
Thomas Voeckler (Bouygues Telecom) escapes with Cyril Gautier (Bretagne Armor Lux)
The two breakaway riders crest the top of a climb.
Thomas Voeckler (Bouygues Telecom) had too much speed for Gautier in the sprint.
Voeckler straight after the finish.
The podium (l-r): Cyril Gautier (Bretagne Armor Lux), Thomas Voeckler (Bouygues Telecom) and Gianni Meersman (Française Des Jeux).
Runner-up Cyril Gautier gets a smooch from his partner.
The leaders of the Coupe de France series.

Images by Jean-François Quénet

It was race organiser David Lappartient's 25th birthday on the day of the GP Plumelec!
Podium (L-R): Cyril Gautier (Bretagne Armor Lux), Thomas Voeckler (Bouygues Telecom) and Gianni Meersman (Française Des Jeux).
Bernard Hinault was signing his new book La Bretagne du cyclisme for Breton fans all day.

Results

1 Thomas Voeckler (Fra) Bouygues Telecom
2 Cyril Gautier (Fra) Bretagne Armor Lux
3 Gianni Meersman (Bel) Française Des Jeux
4 Jérôme Pineau (Fra) Bouygues Telecom
5 Matthieu Sprick (Fra) Bouygues Telecom
6 Nicolas Jalabert (Fra) Agritubel
7 Rémi Pauriol (Fra) Credit Agricole
8 Arnold Jeannesson (Fra) Auber 93
9 Nico Sijmens (Bel) Landbouwkrediet - Tonissteiner
10 Amaël Moinard (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit Par Telephone
11 Noan Lelarge (Fra) Bretagne Armor Lux
12 Cyrille Monnerais (Fra) Française Des Jeux
13 Eduardo Gonzalo Ramirez (Spa) Agritubel
14 Cedric Coutouly (Fra) Agritubel
15 Tanel Kangert (Est) Ag2R La Mondiale
16 Dmitriy Fofonov (Kaz) Credit Agricole
17 Sandy Casar (Fra) Française Des Jeux
18 Niels Brouzes (Fra) Auber 93
19 Bert Scheirlinckx (Bel) Landbouwkrediet - Tonissteiner
20 Kevin Ista (Bel) Agritubel
21 Rémi Cusin (Fra) Vc Lyon Vaulx En Velin (69)
22 Yoann Offredo (Fra) Française Des Jeux
23 Florian Guillou (Fra) Roubaix Lille Metropole
24 Gregory Habeaux (Bel) Mitsubishi-Jartazi
25 Sébastien Duret (Fra) Bretagne Armor Lux
26 Pierre Cazaux (Fra) Roubaix Lille Metropole
27 Jean-Marie Bideau (Fra) Roubaix Lille Metropole
28 Kalle Kriit (Est) Mitsubishi-Jartazi
29 Renaud Dion (Fra) Ag2R La Mondiale
30 Christophe Le Mevel (Fra) Credit Agricole
31 David Lelay (Fra) Bretagne Armor Lux
32 Frédéric Guesdon (Fra) Française Des Jeux
33 Patrice Halgand (Fra) Credit Agricole
34 Mathieu Claude (Fra) Bouygues Telecom
35 Jean Mespoulede (Fra) Auber 93
36 Yann Pivois (Fra) Bretagne Armor Lux
37 Yann Guyot (Fra) Equipe De France
38 Denis Robin (Fra) Roubaix Lille Metropole
39 Anthony Geslin (Fra) Bouygues Telecom
40 Steve Chainel (Fra) Auber 93
41 Sébastien Minard (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit Par Telephone
42 Marcel Wyss (Swi) Atlas-Romer`S Hausbäckerei
43 Jean-Charles Senac (Fra) Ag2R La Mondiale
44 Carl Naibo (Fra) Differdange Apiflo Vacances
45 Kevin De Weert (Bel) Cofidis, Le Credit Par Telephone
46 Stijn Vandenbergh (Bel) Ag2R La Mondiale
47 Dirk Bellemakers (Ned) Landbouwkrediet - Tonissteiner
48 Julien El Fares (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit Par Telephone
49 Benjamin Gourgue (Bel) Landbouwkrediet - Tonissteiner
50 Thomas Bodo (Fra) Differdange Apiflo Vacances
51 Frédéric Amorison (Bel) Landbouwkrediet - Tonissteiner
52 Gael Malacarne (Fra) Equipe De France
53 Maryan Hary (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit Par Telephone
54 Arnaud Gerard (Fra) Française Des Jeux
55 Julien Loubet (Fra) Ag2R La Mondiale
56 Julien Antomarchi (Fra) Equipe De France
57 Mickaël Larpe (Fra) Roubaix Lille Metropole
58 Benoît Vaugrenard (Fra) Française Des Jeux
59 Martin Lang (Ger) Atlas-Romer`S Hausbäckerei
60 Jerome Mainard (Fra) Equipe De France

Past winners

A Travers de Morbihan, a UCI Cat 1.4 event began in 1990.
It was previously known as the G.P. de Plumelec (1982-89).

2007 Simon Gerrans (Aus) AG2r Prévoyance            174 kms in 4.02.53
2006 Cédric Hervé (Fra) Bretagne-Jean Floc'h
2005 No race
2004 Thomas Voeckler (Fra) Brioches la Boulangère   181 kms in 4.23.16 
2003 Nicolas Vogondy (Fra) FDJeux.com               181 kms in 4.27.26
2002 Laurent Lefevre (Fra) Jean Delatour
2001 Gilles Maignan (Fra) Ag2R Prevoyance           184 kms in 4.39.26
2000 Patrice Halgand (Fra) Jean Delatour            181 kms in 4.31.01
1999 Patrice Halgand (Fra) Festina                  200 kms in 4.50.00
1998 Laurent Desbiens (Fra) Cofidis                 205 kms in 5.10.26
1997 Christophe Agnolutto (Fra) Casino              200 kms in 4.46.37
1996 Johan Capiot (Fra) Collstrop Lystex            210 kms in 4.49.26
1995 Francis Moreau (Fra) GAN                       205 kms in 4.41.42
1994 Peter De Clercq (Bel) Lotto                    199 kms in 4.38.01
1993 Marcel Wüst (Ger) Novemail Histor              190 kms in 4.24.00
1992 Peter De Clercq (Bel) Lotto                    200 kms in 4.56.25
1991 Bruno Cornillet (Fra) Z Peugeot                208 kms in 5.46.00
1990 Johan Museeuw (Bel) Lotto                      223 kms in 5.33.57
1989 no event
1988 Frédéric Brun (Fra) Z Peugeot
1987 Johnny Weltz (Den) Fagor
1986 Gilbert Duclos-Lassalle (Fra) Peugeot
1985 Marc Madiot (Fra) Renault Elf Gitane
1984 Pierre Bazzo (Fra) Coop Hoonved
1983 Laurent Fignon (Fra) Renault Gitane
1982 Fabien De Vooght (Fra) Wolber

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