35th Tour du Haut Var - 1.2

France, February 22, 2003

2002 Results Results Past winners

Chavanel succeeds Jalabert

Sylvain Chavanel (Brioches la Boulangère) won the 35th Tour du Haut Var in a small group sprint. The young Frenchman beat Samuel Sanchez (Euskaltel-Euskadi), Andrei Kivilev (Cofidis), and Stéphane Goubert (Jean Delatour) in a four man sprint, after the quartet escaped from a break of 11 that had escaped on the Côte des Tuilières with 23 kilometres to go.

The day's early attack came from Andrey Kaschechkin (Quick-Step) and Lennie Kristensen (CSC). Kaschechkin eventually dropped Kristensen, who was replaced up front by Jean Delatour's Ludovic Martin. Paolo Bettini (Quick Step) launched an attack to reach his teammate up front, bringing with him Martin's teammate and team leader Patrice Halgand, along with a select group of riders that would ultimately form the winning break.

On the race's final climb, the Col Saint Andrieux, Didier Rous (Brioches la Boulangère) forced the pace to work over the lead group and protect the team favourite Chavanel. The pace high and the finish not far from the summit, the attacks began, notably on the long descent. First to give it a go was David Moncoutié (Cofidis), winner of the stage to Mont Faron in the Tour Méditerranéen. Moncoutié was joined by Laurent Lefevre, with Halgand chasing close behind, before the group reformed on the fast, twisting descent.

Chavanel showed his form and his eagerness to play a key role in the race, constantly forcing the pace as the road plummeted downward, maintaining a 20 meter gap over the lead group. With the finish in Draguignan approaching quickly, Euskaltel's Sanchez launched a strong attack and moved clear of the chase. Chavanel once again took matters in hand and put in a powerful acceleration, this time taking only Kivilev and Goubert with him. With Sanchez's attack neutralized, the quartet was free to contest the victory, with Chavanel proving the fastest of the four.

Paolo Bettini took the sprint for fifth place, as his chase group crossed the line 24 seconds behind the winner. Chavanel, 23, is one of the brightest hopes of French cycling. After the race, he expressed his satisfaction with the win. "This was a little revenge after the Tour Méditerranéen," he said, after having finished third overall in last week's stage race. "I was very motivated today, it's a great race. I thank the team, particularly Didier Rous, who helped me a lot in the final kilometres."

Photography

Images by Emmanuel Isnard

Results - 180 km

1 Sylvain Chavanel (Fra) Brioches la Boulangere           4.46.25
2 Samuel Sanchez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
3 Andrei Kivilev (Kaz) Cofidis
4 Stephane Goubert (Fra) Jean Delatour
5 Paolo Bettini (Ita) Quick Step Davitamon                   0.24
6 Patrice Halgand (Fra) Jean Delatour
7 Didier Rous (Fra) Brioches la Boulangere
8 Laurent Lefevre (Fra) Jean Delatour
9 Davide Rebellin (Ita) Gerolsteiner
10 Jens Voigt (Ger) Credit Agricole
11 David Moncoutie (Fra) Cofidis                     
12 Viatcheslav Ekimov (Rus) US Postal Service                0.55
13 Jerome Pineau (Fra) Brioches La Boulangère                1.06
14 Philippe Gilbert (Bel) FDJeux.com  
15 Bram De Groot (Ned) Rabobank  
16 Beat Zberg (swi) Rabobank  
17 Laurent Brochard (Fra) AG2R Prévoyance  
18 Geert Verheyen (Bel) Marlux - Wincor - Nixdorf  
19 Anthony Morin (Fra) Credit Agricole  
20 Franck Pencolé (Fra) MBK - Oktos
21 Oscar Camenzind (Swi) Phonak                              1.06
22 Marek Rutkiewicz (Pol) Cofidis
23 Fabio Sacchi (Ita) Saeco
24 Wim Vansevenant (Bel) Lotto-Domo
25 Andrea Peron (Den) CSC
26 Frédéric Bessy (Fra) Cofidis
27 Unai Etxebarria (Ven) Euskaltel-Euskadi
28 Jérôme Bernard (Fra) Jean Delatour
29 Jorg Ludewig (Ger) Saeco
30 Christophe Brandt (Bel) Lotto-Domo
31 Nico Sijmens (Bel) Vlaanderen-T Interim
32 Dave Bruylandts (Bel) Marlux-Wincor
33 Miguel Martinez (Fra) Phonak
34 Benoit Joachim (Lux) US Postal Service presented by Berry Floor
35 Richard Virenque (Fra) Quick Step-Davitamon
36 Addy Engels (Ned) Rabobank
37 Dimitriy Fofonov (Kaz) Cofidis
38 Gerhard Trampusch (Aut) Gerolsteiner
39 Benoît Poilvet (Fra) Credit Agricole
40 Christophe Oriol (Fra) Ag2R Prevoyance
41 Emmanuel Magnien (Fra) La Boulangère
42 Alexandre Botcharov (Rus) Ag2r Prévoyance
43 Cédric Fragniere (Swi) Credit Agricole
44 Nicki Sørensen (Den) CSC
45 Michael Rasmussen (Den) CSC
46 Iker Flores (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
47 Udo Bölts (Ger) Gerolsteiner
48 Andrey Kaschechkin (Kaz) Quick Step-Davitamon
49 Gilles Bouvard (Fra) Jean Delatour
50 Wim Van Huffel (Bel) Vlaanderen-T Interim
51 Thomas Voeckler (Fra) Brioches la Boulangere
52 Thorwald Veneberg (Ned) Rabobank
53 Anthony Charteau (Fra) Brioches La Boulangere
54 Frank Vandenbroucke (Bel) Quick Step-Davitamon
55 René Jørgensen (Den) Team fakta
56 Frédéric Gabriel (Fra) MBK-Oktos
57 Sandy Casar (Fra) FDJeux.com
58 Kevin De Weert (Bel) Rabobank
59 Pierre Bourquenoud (Swi) Phonak
60 Jurgen Van de Walle (Bel) Vlaanderen-T Interim
61 Angelo Lopeboselli (Ita) Cofidis
62 Daniel Atienza (Spa) Cofidis
63 Nicolas Vogondy (Fra) FDJeux.com
64 Frédéric Finot (Fra) Jean Delatour
65 Jorgen Bo Petersen (Den) Team fakta
66 Marc Lotz (Ned) Rabobank
67 Michael Rogers (Aus) Quick Step-Davitamon
68 Mirko Celestino (Ita) Saeco                               1.26
69 Ludovic Martin (Fra) Jean Delatour                        4.19
70 Serge Baguet (Bel) Lotto-Domo
71 Christophe Le Mevel (Fra) Credit Agricole                 6.30
72 Christophe Rinero (Fra) MBK-Oktos                         6.50
73 Mathew Hayman (Aus) Rabobank
74 Sébastien Talabardon (Fra) Big Mat-Auber 93
75 Jef Peeters (Bel) Vlaanderen-T Interim
76 Cyril Dessel (Fra) Phonak
77 Jean-Cyril Robin (Fra) FDJeux.com                         9.05
78 Steve De Wolf (Bel) Palmans-Collstrop
79 Jeff Louder (USA) Navigators
80 Johan Dekkers (Bel) Marlux-Wincor Nixdorf
81 Christophe Mengin (Fra) Fdjeux.com                       12.10
82 Mikhail Timochine (Rus) Landbouwkrediet-Colnago
83 Thierry Loder (Fra) Ag2R Prevoyance
84 Ludovic Auger (Fra) Big Mat-Auber 93
85 Cyril Saugrain (Fra) Big Mat-Auber 93
86 Fredrik Mödin (Swe) Team fakta
87 Walter Beneteau (Fra) La Boulangère
88 Raivis Belohvosciks (Lat) Marlux
89 Franck Bouyer (Fra) Brioches la Boulangere
90 Nicolas Jalabert (Fra) CSC
91 Michael Blaudzun (Den) CSC
92 Michel Skelde (Den) Team fakta
93 Frederik Willems (Bel) Vlaanderen-T Interim
94 Paul Van Hyfte (Bel) CSC
95 Romans Vainsteins (Lat) Sidermec
96 Michael Reihs (Den) Team fakta                           12.24
97 Andy Flickinger (Fra) Ag2r Prévoyance

Courtesy of Stéphane David/Cyclisme International

Coupe de France standings after round 1

1 Sylvain Chavanel (Fra) Brioches la Boulangere         50 pts
2 Andrei Kivilev (Kaz) Cofidis                          25
3 Stephane Goubert (Fra) Jean Delatour                  20
4 Patrice Halgand (Fra) Jean Delatour                   16
5 Didier Rous (Fra) Brioches la Boulangere              14
6 Laurent Lefevre (Fra) Jean Delatour                   12
7 Jens Voigt (Ger) Credit Agricole                       8

Past winners

2002 Laurent Jalabert (Fra) CSC-Tiscali             
2001 Daniele Nardello (Ita) Mapei
2000 Daniele Nardello (Ita) Mapei
1999 Davide Rebellin (Ita) Polti
1998 Laurent Jalabert (Fra)
1997 Rodolfo Massi (Ita)
1996 Bruno Boscardin (Swi)
1995 Marco Lietti (Ita)
1994 Laurent Brochard (Fra)
1993 Thierry Claveyrolat (Fra)
1992 Gerard Rué (Fra)
1991 Eric Caritoux (Fra)
1990 Luc Leblanc (Fra)
1989 Gerard Rué (Fra)
1988 Luc Roosen (Bel)
1987 Rolf Goelz (Ger)
1986 Pascal Simon (Fra)
1985 Charly Mottet (Fra)
1984 Eric Caritoux (Fra)
1983 Joop Zoetemelk (Ned)
1982 Sean Kelly (Ire)
1981 Jacques Bossis (Fra)
1980 Pascal Simon (Fra)
1979 Joop Zoetemelk (Ned)
1978 Freddy Maertens (Bel)
1977 Bernard Thevenet (Fra)
1976 Frans Verbeeck (Bel)
1975 Raymond Delisle (Fra)
1974 Gerben Karstens (Ned)
1973 Joop Zoetemelk (Ned)
1972 Frans Verbeeck (Bel)
1971 Désiré Letort (Fra)
1970 René Grelin (Fra)
1969 Raymond Poulidor (Fra)
 
Past winners by Mario Stiehl, www.world-of-cycling.com