Cholet-Pays De Loire - 1.2

France, March 24, 2002

2001 Results   Results    Past winners

Casper wins Cholet

Francaise des Jeux sprinter Jimmy Casper has taken out the 25th edition of the GP Cholet-Pays de Loire, which ended in a bunch sprint after a very attacking race. Casper beat compatriot Franck Bouyer (Bonjour) with Belgians Wim Vansevenant (Palmans), Chris Peers (Cofidis), Bjorn Leukemans (Palmans) and Serge Baguet (Lotto-Adecco) filling the next four places.

A peloton of 122 riders started the 202 kilometre race, which was also the third round of the Coupe de France series. Nico Sijmens (Vlaanderen-T Interim) started the hostilities when he attacked almost immediately, and that set the scene for the rest of the race. From then on, small groups constantly broke off the front and were brought back by a slowly fragmenting peloton.

The most successful attackers in the middle section were Frédéric Finot (Jean Delatour) and Philippe Gaumont (Cofidis) who escaped at around the 90 kilometre point, reaching a maximum lead of 5'35. They were chased by Bielorussian rider Alexandre Usov (Phonak), who managed to get within 3 minutes of the pair before he was reabsorbed by the peloton.

With 50 kilometres to go on the ninth climb of the day, Finot rode away from Gaumont, gradually increasing his advantage over the next 15 kilometres. The gap between Finot and the front group, led by Bouyer and Brochard, was starting to come down and it was just 2'05 by the time he reached Cholet for the final four 5km laps.

As his erstwhile companion Gaumont was caught, Jens Voigt and Stéphane Goubert attacked the peloton to try and close the gap to Finot, who had earned himself the Mountains and Most Combative prizes through his efforts. With three laps to go, his lead was still 1'20; with two to go it was 44" and he was caught with one lap to go by the bunch, which was together again for a mass sprint.

No-one could escape on the final lap and it was Jimmy Casper who had the best legs to win the sprint, in front of Bouyer and Vansevenant.

Results

1 Jimmy Casper (Fra) La Française des Jeux      4.55.23 (40.218 km/h)
2 Franck Bouyer (Fra) Bonjour 
3 Wim Vansevenant (Bel) Palmans - Collstrop 
4 Chris Peers (Bel) Cofidis 
5 Bjorn Leukemans (Bel) Palmans - Collstrop 
6 Serge Baguet (Bel) Lotto - Adecco 
7 Laurent Brochard (Fra) Jean Delatour             0.04
8 Mickael Pichon (Fra) Bonjour                     0.08
9 Ludovic Capelle (Bel) Ag2r-Prevoyance            0.10
10 Stéphane Heulot (Fra) Big Mat-Auber 93          0.13
11 Martin Garrido (Arg) Relax-Fuenlabrada          0.21
12 Emmanuel Magnien (Fra) Bonjour
13 Andy Flickinger (Fra) Ag2r-Prevoyance
14 Marcus Ljungqvist (Swe) Team fakta
15 Jan Kuyckx (Bel) Vlaanderen-T Interim
16 Aart Vierhouten (Ned) Lotto-Adecco
17 Erwin Thijs (Bel) Palmans-Collstrop
18 Staf Scheirlinckx (Bel) Palmans-Collstrop
19 Christophe Le Mevel (Fra) Credit Agricole
20 Cedric Vasseur (Fra) Cofidis
21 Franck Renier (Fra) Bonjour
22 Jens Voigt (Ger) Credit Agricole
23 Manu L'Hoir (Bel) Team fakta
24 Christophe Mengin (Fra) La Francaise des Jeux
25 Christophe capelle (Fra) Big Mat-Auber 93
26 Ludovic Turpin (Fra) Ag2r-Prevoyance
27 Ludovic Auger (Fra) Big Mat-Auber 93
28 Stephane Goubert (Fra) Jean Delatour
29 Christophe Detilloux (Bel) Lotto-Adecco
30 Bostjan Mervar (Slo) Perutnina Ptuj-KRKA
31 David Derepas (Fra) Phonak
32 Wim Van Huffer (Bel) Vlaanderen-T Interim
33 Morten Sonne (Nor) Team fakta
34 Radoslav Rogina (Slo) Perutnina Ptuj-KRKA
35 Alexandre Usov (Blr) Phonak
36 Alexandre Chouffe (Fra) St Quentin-Oktos
37 Christophe Agnolutto (Fra) Ag2r-Prevoyance
38 Stijn Devolder (Bel) Vlaanderen-T Interim
39 Jurgen Guns (Bel) Vlaanderen-T Interim
40 Jan Verstraerten (Bel) Vlaanderen-T Interim
41 Branko Filip (Slo) Perutnina Ptuj-KRKA
42 Dimitriy Fofonov (Kaz) Cofidis
43 Guillaume Auger (Fra) BigMat- Auber 93
44 Thierry De Groote (Bel) Palmans-Collstrop
45 Ivan Herrero (Spa) Relax-Fuenlabrada
46 Stephane Auge (Fra) Jean Delatour
47 Sandy Casar (Fra) La Francaise des Jeux
48 Yuriy Krivstov (Ukr) Jean Delatour
49 Benoit Poilvet (Fra) Credit Agricole
50 Lennie Kristensen (Den) Team fakta
51 Christophe Moreau (Fra) Credit Agricole
52 Christian Charriere (Swi) Phonak
53 Patrice Halgand (Fra) Jean Delatour
54 Jure Golcer (Slo) Perutnina Ptuj-KRKA
55 Nicolas Vogondy (Fra) La Francaise des Jeux
56 Cedric Fragniere (Swi) Phonak
57 David Moncoutie (Fra) Cofidis
58 Bingen Fernandez (Spa) Cofidis
59 Sylvain Chavanel (Fra) Bonjour
60 Jean-Patrick Nazon (Fra) La Francaise des Jeux
61 Rene Jørgensen (Den) Team fakta
62 Didier Rous (Fra) Bonjour
63 Bruno Thibout (Fra) Jean Delatour
64 Pierrick Fedrigo (Fra) Credit Agricole
65 Jean-Cyril Robin (Fra) La Francaise des Jeux
66 Walter Beneteau (Fra) Bonjour
67 Anthony Morin (Fra) Credit Agricole
68 Kurt Van De Wouwer (Bel) Lotto-Adecco
69 Laurent Paumier (Fra) St Quentin Oktos
70 Sergio Perez (Spa) Relax Fuenlabrada
71 Cryil Saugrain (Fra) BigMat Auber 93
72 Xavier Jan (Fra) BigMat Auber 93
73 Cyril Dessel (Fra) Jean Delatour
74 Robert Sassone (Fra) Cofidis
75 Rudolf Wentzel (RSA) Vlaanderen-T Interim
76 Pascal Derame (Fra) Bonjour
77 Fabrice Gougot (Fra) Phonak
78 Felix Garcia Casas (Spa) BigMat Auber 93
79 Florent Brard (Fra) Credit Agricole
80 Philippe Koehler (Fra) St Quentin Oktos 
81 Stephane Berges (Fra) Ag2r-Prevoyance
82 Glenn d'Hollander (Bel) Lotto-Adecco
83 German Nieto (Spa) Relax Fuenlabrada           0.35
84 Frederic Guesdon (Fra) La Francaise des Jeux   0.39
85 Sergio Vilamil (Spa) Relax Fuenlabrada         0.44
86 Eddy Seigneur (Fra) Jean Delatour              2.07
87 Jose Manuel Maestre (Spa) Relax Fuenlabrada    2.20
88 Pedro Martins (Por) Porta da Ravessa           3.40

Courtesy of velomania.net


Coupe de France standings after round 3

1 Jimmy Casper (Fra) La Française des Jeux        62 pts
2 Laurent Jalabert (Fra) CSC-Tiscali              50 
3 Jaan Kirsipuu (Est) Ag2r-Prevoyance             50 
4 Franck Bouyer (Fra) Bonjour                     43
5 Laurent Brochard (Fra) Jean-Delatour            22 

Past winners

2001 Florent Brard (Fra) Festina     202 kms in 4.56.59 (40.810 km/h)
2000 Jens Voigt (Ger)                202 kms in 4.52.13 (41.065 km/h)
1999 Jaan Kirsipuu (Est) Casino	     202 kms in 5.03.32 (39.925 km/h)
1998 Jaan Kirsipuu (Est) Casino	     202 kms in 5.09.20 (39.181 km/h)
1997 Jann Kirsipuu (Est)             202 kms in 4.56.25
1996 Stéphan Heulot (Fra)            207 kms in 4.59.43
1995 Frank Vandenbroucke (Bel)	     207 kms in 5.08.45
1994 Laurent Madouas (Fra)           207 kms in 5.26.59
1993 Marc Bouillon (Fra)             209 kms in 5.16.31
1992 Laurent Desbiens (Fra)          205 kms in 5.19.16
1991 Sammie Moreels (Bel)            205 kms in 5.12.03
1990 Kim Andersen (Den)              200 kms in 5.03.59
1989 Frank Boucanville (Fra)         238 kms in 6.24.53
1988 Patrick Onnockx (Bel)           241 kms in 6.33.46
1987 Frédéric Garnier (Fra)          239 kms in 6.23.33
1986 Domenique Lecrocq (Fra)         237 kms in 6.17.44
1985 Marc Madiot (Fra)               236 kms in 6.28.36
1984 Pascal Poisson (Fra)            233 kms in 5.55.10
1983 Eric Dall'Armellina (Fra)
1982 Pierre Bazzo (Fra)              220 kms in 5.24.37
1981 Roger Legeay (Fra)
1980 Roger Legeay (Fra)
1979 Pierre Bazzo (Fra)
1978 Jacques Bossis (Fra)

Notes: 

In 1987 and 1989 it was called GP Cholet-Mauleon
From 1990, it took the name of GP Cholet-Pays de Loire
Between 1982-86 and 1988 the race was known as Mauleon - Moulins.

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