Paris-Camembert [Magnanville--Vimoutiers] 200km, April 9

Report

Today's (April 9) Paris--Camembert was won by Adriano Baffi (It, Mapei-GB) with 1 sec over Didier Rous (Fr, GAN). The peloton was led in at 46 secs by Federico Colonna (It, Mapei-GB).

B Bosman kindly informed me by e-mail of the bad news that both Chris Boardman (GB, GAN) and Franck Vandenbroucke (Bel, Mapei-GB crashed out of the race, but he had no details of their injuries (if any).

Paris--Camembert takes place each Tuesday after Easter as part of the celebration of the Vimoutiers fair. Last year's winner was Andrei Tchmil, who did not take part today. It suits a rider with his sort of punch, because of the climbs in the last 70km -- Canapville (9% -- climbed three times), Roiville (12% -- climbed twice), and on the 28km finishing circuit around Vimoutiers the cote de Moulin-Neuf (18%) and, 8k from the finish, the mur des Champeaux (17%).

Teams and principal riders:

GAN: Boardman, Heulot, Rue, Rous, Simon
PETIT CASINO: De Las Cuevas, Chanteur, Kasputis
FORCESUD: Arnould, Capelle, Rinero, Lance
AGRIGEL: Bernard, Colotti, Durand, Laurent, T. Marie, Vermote
AUBERVILLIERS: Gouvenou, Pontier, Saugrain, Talmant
MUTUELLE DE SEINE-ET-MARNE: N. Jalabert, Maignan, Pillon
FRENCH NATIONAL SELECTION: Barthe, Frutoso, Duracka
FESTINA: Lebreton, C. Moreau, Chiotti, Halgand, Arenas
LOTTO: Van Hyfte, Sunderland, Fleischer
COLLSTROP: P. De Clecq, Bouvard, Medan
CEDICO: Bouillon, Derique, Rokia
BANESTO: Casero, Davy, Hunt, Nazon, Nijboer
MAPEI-GB: Baffi, Colonna, Nardello, Vandenbroucke
US POSTAL: Hampsten, Teutenberg
BOAVISTA: Cepelle

VIMOUTIERS, France - 57th Paris - Camembert 205 km:

 1. Adriano Baffi (Ita) Mapei-GB        5.03.44 (40,496 km/h)
 2. Didier Rous (Fra) Gan                + 0.01
 3. Federico Colonna (Ita) Mapei-GB      + 0.46
 4. Jean-Philippe Duracka (Fra-amateur)
 5. Gilles Talmant (Fra) Aubervilliers
 6. Sebastien Medan (Fra) Collstrop
 7. David Lefevre (Fra-amateur)
 8. Jacky Durand (Fra) Agrigel
 9. Emmanuel Hubert (Fra) Gan
10. Christophe Rinero (Fra) Forcesud    
11. Eric Frutoso (Fr, French elite selection)
12. Arnaud Pretot (Fr, GAN)
13. ?????? Reiss (???, US Postal)
14. Charles Guilbert (Fr, La Mutuelle de Seine-et-Marne)
15. Marty Jemison (USA, US Postal)
16. Ronan Pensec (Fr, GAN)
17. Francois Simon (Fr, GAN)
18. Francisque Teyssier (Fr, Aubervilliers-93 Peugeot)
19. Stephane Goubert (Fr, Festina)
20. Juan Arenas (sp, Festina) 
also 
27. Stephane Heulot (Fr, GAN)  		all s.t.

(88 classified)

Coupe de France positions after this race:

 1. Stephane Heulot (GAN) 				70
 2. Nicolas Jalabert (La Mutuelle de Seine-et-Marne)  	68
 3. Laurent Jalabert (ONCE) 				66
 4. Jacky Durand (Agrigel-La Creuse) 			50 (+12)
 5. Talmant (Aubervilliers 93-Peugeot) 			43 (+18)
 6= Didier Rous (GAN) 					35 (+35)
 6= Thierry Marie (Agrigel-La Creuse) 			35
 8. Christophe Rinero (ForceSud) 			26 (+8)
 9.  Laurent Desbiens (GAN) 				25
10. Christophe Capelle (ForceSud) 			23

Race Report

Adriano Baffi and Didier Rous got away in a break (I don't know when) and Baffi was discomfited when Rous' GAN team-mate Stephane Heulot got up to them 20 kilometres from the finish. At 15km from the finish on the Cote de Moulin-Neuf (18%) the trio had 20 seconds on the chasers.

On the final climb, the Champeaux (with 100m of 18%) Baffi attacked to shake off the double challenge. Rous held him, but Heulot, who said he had suffered from bronchitis since the Criterium International fell back. At 500m to the line Rous tried an attack but Baffi held him off. GAN's Chris Boardman had been near the front of the race when he crashed with 50km to go. His injuries were apparently limited to a bruised side and he was said to be certain to start the Circuit de la Sarthe stage race today