28th Trophée des Grimpeurs - 1.3

France, May 1, 2002

2001 Results Results Past winners

Thibout suffers on the Côte de l'Ermitage
Photo: © Christophe Henry

It's Chavanel's turn for Bonjour

By Christophe Henry, cyclingnews.com correspondent

The 28th Trophee des Grimpeurs finished with another victory to the Bonjour team, the defending champions in this race after Didier Rous' win in 2001. This time it was the turn of young Sylvain Chavanel, who attacked his breakaway companion Laurent Paumier (St Quentin-Oktos) on the final climb to solo to a comfortable victory. Franck Bouyer (Bonjour) was third and increased his lead in the Coupe de France series.

Under sunny skies and mild temperatures, the 2002 Trophee des Grimpeurs rolled out from the start along the river Seine in Argenteuil, 15 minutes outside Paris, France. This was the 9th stop on the Coupe de France series, led before the start by Bonjour's Franck Bouyer after his win at the Tour de Vendée.

The race began with a neutral start of less than 1km, leaving the river and arriving at the 0 KM mark and the beginning of the 8.3km circuit. The riders would tackle the undulating circuit sixteen times before finishing at the summit of the long Côte de l'Ermitage, a 300 meter hill with a gradient of 13%.

The early stages of the race were marked by a series of steady attacks and counter-attacks. While the breaks rarely gained more than 30" on the bunch, the war of attrition began early and the casualties were evident on the frequent climbs of the Cote de l'Ermitage. With a starting field of only 96 riders, it appeared inevitable that the winning group would emerge from a dwindling field by the finale.

The first of several significant moves occurred on the Côte de l'Ermitage with 11 laps to go, as the peloton split into two large groups and the gap quickly opened between them. Once again counter attacks broke clear from the lead group, only to be rejoined by the chasing bunch as a new set of riders prepared to jump. With 10 laps to go the gap to the second peloton was already over 2 minutes down on the lead riders, leaving the work to those ahead in the first chase groups.

With 6 laps remaining, the attacks began in earnest at the head of the first peloton, as small groups of five or six riders briefly broke clear and forced the pace. Throughout the day, Bonjour's strength in numbers was apparent, placing as many as four riders in the lead groups. Walter Beneteau, Coupe de France leader Franck Bouyer, Jérôme Pineau, and Didier Rous were equally active at the head of the race.

In advance of the 11th climb of the Côte de l'Ermitage, two riders broke clear in the winning move of the day. Bonjour's Sylvain Chavanel and Saint-Quentin Oktos's Laurent Paumier quickly built a lead of nearly a minute and half with 25km to go. Their lead was consolidated on the long descent from the finish line, eventually reaching a maximum advantage of 2'50" on the peloton, with several counter attacks just ahead of the pack.

The last group to escape the chasing bunch was formed by Patrice Halgand (Jean Delatour), Sébastien Demarbaix (AG2R), Chavanel's Bonjour teammate Bouyer, and Switzerland's Pierre Bourquenoud from Saint-Quentin Oktos. These four completed the podium behind Chavanel and Paumier as rain began to fall on the Argenteuil-Sannois circuit.

In the end it was Chavanel who gave Bonjour its second consecutive Coupe de France win by attacking Paumier before the final climb and soloing to victory with a comfortable 44 second advantage. Franck Bouyer extended his series lead by beating Patrice Halgand for third place, 1'30" behind the winner.

Photography

Photos courtesy Christophe Henry

Team Bonjour arrives at the start looking pretty relaxed.
Navigators rider Kirk O'Bee with his patriotic bike before the start.
Christophe Moreau (Credit Agricole) signs in.
Didier Rous (Bonjour) before the start.
Sandy Casar (Francaise des jeux) spends some time with fans before the start.
The peloton prepare for some climbing.
The pack hits the bottom of the Côte de l'Ermitage.
Bruno Thibout (Jean Delatour) suffers on the Côte de l'Ermitage.
Bonjour riders Sylvain Chavanel and Franck Bouyer.
Final podium: Paumier, Chavanel and Bouyer.

Results

Men

1 Sylvain Chavanel (Fra) Bonjour                     3.13.41 (42.471 km/h)
2 Laurent Paumier (Fra) Saint-Quentin Oktos             0.44
3 Franck Bouyer (Fra) Bonjour                           1.30
4 Patrice Halgand (Fra) Jean-Delatour                   1.32
5 Pierre Bourquenoud (Swi) Saint-Quentin Oktos          1.40
6 Sébastien Demarbaix (Bel) Ag2r-Prevoyance             1.48
7 Janek Tombak (Est) Cofidis                            1.51
8 Walter Bénéteau (Fra) Bonjour                         1.53
9 Jérôme Pineau (Fra) Bonjour
10 Sandy Casar (Fra) La Francaise des Jeux
11 Bradley Mcgee (Aus) La Francaise des Jeux            1.55
12 Anthony Morin (Fra) Credit Agricole                  1.58
13 Didier Rous (Fra) Bonjour                            2.04
14 Stéphane Heulot (Fra) Big Mat-Auber 93               2.06
15 Christopher Jenner (Fra) Credit Agricole             2.11
16 Laurent Estadieu (Fra) Ag2r-Prevoyance               2.14
17 Frédéric Finot (Fra) Jean-Delatour
18 Kirk O'bee (USA) Navigators Cycling Team             2.17
19 Julien Laidoun (Fra) Equipe de France
20 Laurent Lefevre (Fra) Jean-Delatour
21 Tom Flammang (Lux) Cofidis                           2.22
22 Cédric Herve (Fra) Credit Agricole
23 Alexandre Grux (Fra) Ag2r-Prevoyance
24 Christophe Agnolutto (Fra) Ag2r-Prevoyance           2.26
25 Vincent Templier (Fra) Saint-Quentin Oktos           2.28
26 Guillaume Judas (Fra) Equipe de France
27 Stéphane Berges (Fra) Ag2r-Prevoyance                2.34
28 Claude Lamour (Fra) Cofidis                          2.37
29 Carlos Da Cruz (Fra) La Francaise des Jeux           4.24
30 Xavier Jan (Fra) Big Mat-Auber 93                    6.23
31 Yuriy Krivtsov (Ukr) Jean-Delatour                   9.17
TC Mickaël Buffaz (Fra) Equipe de France               15.51
TC David Debremaecker (Bel) Marlux-Ville de Charleroi
TC Maxime Armataffet (Fra) Equipe de France

Courtesy of velomania.net

Coupe de France standings after round 9

1 Franck Bouyer (Fra) Bonjour                            118 pts
2 Jimmy Casper (Fra) La Francaise des Jeux                68
3 Sylvain Chavanel (Fra) Bonjour                          56
4 Laurent Jalabert (Fra) CSC-Tiscali                      50
4 Jaan Kirsipuu (Est) Ag2r-Prevoyance                     50
6 Laurent Brochard (Fra) Jean-Delatour                    47
6 Walter Bénéteau (Fra) Bonjour                           47
8 Stéphane Heulot (Fra) Big Mat-Auber 93                  46
9 Sandy Casar (Fra) La Francaise des Jeux                 45
10 Médéric Clain (Fra) Cofidis                            40

Women

1 Miho Oki (Jap) CA Mantes-la-Ville         1.44.14 (35.919 km/h)
2 Sophie Creux (Fra) Chambéry                  
3 Sandrine Marcuz (Fra) Colomiers              0.04
4 Béatrice Thomas (Fra) Vivonne                0.16
5 Alexandra Le Henaff (Fra) Quimper            0.22
6 Aline Camboulives (Fra) Aix-en-Provence      1.31
7 Virginie Moinard (Fra) Chambéry              1.37
8 Sonia Huguet (Fra) UC Bassin Houiller        1.41
9 Maryline Salvetat (Fra) Castres              1.45
10 Karine Dalmais (Fra) St Julien-en-Genevois  1.59

Coupe de France standings

1 Virginie Moinard (Fra) Chambéry              42 pts
2 Sophie Creux (Fra) Chambéry                  42
3 Aline Camboulives (Fra) Aix-en-Provence      38
4 Sandrine Marcuz (Fra) Colomiers              32
5 Aleandra Le Henaff (Fra) Quimper             31

Past winners

2001 Didier Rous (Fra) Bonjour 132.8 kms in 3.07.57
2000 Patrice Halgand (Fra) Jean Delatour 133.3 kms in 3.07.32
1999 Laurent Roux (Fra) Casino 133.3 kms in 3.09.47
1998 Pascal Hervé (Fra) 133.3 kms in 3.14.03
1997 Davide Rebellin (Ita)
1996 Stéphane Heulot
1995 Armand de las Cuevas (Fra)
1994 Richard Virenque (Fra)

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