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5th Classic Loire Atlantique - 1.5
France, March 19, 2004
2003 Results Results Past winners
Kirsipuu's substitute is Erki Pütsep
By Jean-François Quénet in Basse-Goulaine
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Jaan Kirsipuu was the hot favourite for the Classic Loire-Atlantique, the race that opens the season in the north west of France, but he didn't show up at the start and saved his legs for Sunday's Cholet-Pays de Loire, a race he was won already three times before. He sent more than a replacement with Erki Pütsep, the other Estonian rider who joined him at Ag2r one year ago.
"Kirsipuu isn't only a model for me, he's also a good friend," Pütsep said after claiming his first win as a professional. But he was familiar with the race as he came 2nd at the Classic Loire-Atlantique three years ago when it was an amateur event. He knew it had a lot to do with the wind blowing against the riders in the final part of the race. There was also a pouring rain at the end, something that was reminiscent of the last time trial of last year's Tour de France when Jan Ullrich crashed. Same area, different season but the usual weather conditions...
With 67 kilometres to go, a group of six riders took off: Christophe Le Mével (Crédit Agricole), Wim van Huffel (Vlaanderen-T'interim), Pedro Soeiro (Cavalhelos-Boavista), Franck Pencolé (Oktos), Loïc Lamouller (Auber 93) and Sébastien Talabardon (VC Roubaix). Three more riders joined them later: Erki Pütsep (Ag2r), Lilian Jégou (Crédit Agricole) and Denis Robin (Agritubel Loudun). With Jégou and Le Mével in the front, Crédit Agricole looked in the best situation but they couldn't prevent three men from going away on the final circuit: Pütsep, Robin and Pencolé.
All three are fast finishers but Pütsep proved to be the best of them in these wet conditions that wouldn't frighten an Estonian. Robin is the most successful French amateur since the beginning of the season with three wins already. Aged 25, he returned from Crédit Agricole espoirs with a big disappointment. He hoped to join the TT1 but ended up in the amateur ranks with Agritubel Loudun which has made a flying start. This new squad leads the division 1 challenge for now and is rumoured to become a professional team soon.
Christophe Moreau was one of the exactly 100 non-finishers in the Classic Loire-Atlantique but he looked in pretty good shape for his first race this year.
Photography
Images by Jean-Francois Quenet
- Winner Erki Putsep (Ag2r) on the podium with speaker Daniel Mangeas
- Erki Putsep (Ag2r) accepts his trophy
- Erki Putsep (Ag2r) flanked by Denis Robin (2nd, L) and Franck Pencolé (3rd, R) on the podium
Results
1 Erki Pütsep (Est) Ag2r Prévoyance 4.20.45 2 Denis Robin (Fra) Agritubel Loudun 86 3 Franck Pencolé (Fra) Oktos-MBK 4 Andrei Pchelkin (Rus) Russie 0.06 5 Wim van Huffel (Bel) Vlaanderen-T Interim 0.08 6 Sébastien Talabardon (Fra) VC Roubaix 7 Lilian Jégou (Fra) Crédit Agricole 0.12 8 Paul van Hyfte (Bel) Vlaanderen-T Interim 0.47 9 Christophe Le Mével (Fra) Crédit Agricole 0.49 10 Jean Zen (Fra) VC Roubaix 0.54 11 Pedro Soeiro (Por) Carvalhelos-Boavista 1.07 12 Sébastien Duret (Fra) Jean Floc’h 1.11 13 Yohann Gène (Fra) Vendée U 14 Tristan Valentin (Fra) Auber 93 15 Sandy Casar (Fra) FDJeux.com 16 Loïc Lamouller (Fra) Auber 93 1.19 17 Anthony Ravard (Fra) Vendée U 2.55 18 Jan Kuyckx (Bel) Vlaanderen-T Interim 19 Frederik Veuchelen (Bel) Vlaanderen-T Interim 20 Thijs Zonneveld (Ned) AVC Aix 21 Renaud Dion (Fra) RAGT Semences-MG Rover 22 Mathieu Claude (Fra) Vendée U 23 Ludovic Auger (Fra) Auber 93 24 José Rodriguez (Por) Carvalhelos-Boavista 25 Jean-Cyril Robin (Fra) FDJeux.com 26 David Derepas (Fra) FDJeux.com 27 Celio Sousa (Por) Carvalhelos-Boavista Courtesy of velo101.com
Past winners
2003 Thomas Voeckler (Fra) Brioches La Boulangère 2002 Rune Jogert (Nor)
