GP Ouest France-Plouay - CDM & ProT

France, August 24-25, 2008

Photography

Stage 2 - August 25: Men's ProTour GP Ouest-France, 229.2 km

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Images by CJ Farquharson/WomensCycling.net

• 2007 winner, Thomas Voeckler (Bouygues Telecom) is interviewed before the start
• French Champion, Nicolas Vogondy (Agritubel) waits to start
• Franck Schleck (CSC Saxo Bank) is Luxembourg national champion
• The early break is driven by Adam Hansen (Team Columbia) and Marc De Maar (Rabobank)
• Thomas Voeckler (Boygues Telecom) early in the race
• Janek Tombak (Mitsubishi Jartazi) gives a big effort as he chases the break
• Team CSC send riders to the front to chase the break
• Mitsubishi Jartazi drive the chase after the break
• Christophe Moreau (Agritubel) leads the break over the small climb early in the lap
• The Lampre team lead the chase
• Fabian Wegmann (Gerolsteiner) is German RR Champion
• Anthony Charteau (Caisse D'Espargne) is one of two Frenchmen in the Spanish registered team
• Jerome Pineau (Bouygues Telecom) is riding a new frame from Time - the RXR Ulteam
• Voeckler organises his food just after the feed zone
• Moreau (Agritubel) leads Juan Jose Ugalde (Euskatel-Euskadi)
• Marco Marzano (Lampre) doesn't look so comfortable in the break
• Amael Moinard (Cofidis) looks back for the chasers. He rides next to Guillame Laverlet (Francaise Des Jeux)
• Thomas Voeckler (Boygues Telecom) suffers as he leads Aleksandr Kuschynski (Liquigas) at the rear of the break
• Franck Schleck (CSC Saxo Bank) on his Olympic paintjob Cervelo was a non-finisher today
• Running repairs for Markus Zberg (Gerolsteiner), the Swiss National Champion
• Also running repairs for Janek Tombak (Mitsubishi Jartazi) on the road at Questioned Plaine
• Maryan Hary (Cofidis) leads Franco Pellizotti (Liquigas) in the break with 40km to go
• Frederic Guesdon (Francais De Jeux) hurts in the chase group, ten seconds back
• Giovanni Bernaudeau (Boygues Telecom) puts his head down as he leads the bunch to chase
• Pablo Lastras (Caisse D'Epargne) takes a gel as he makes a solo attempt with 20km to go
• Eventual winner, Pierrick Fedrigo (Boygues Telecom) leads the chase of Lastras, followed by David Rasilla (Scott-American Beef)
• Anticipation in the grandstand on the finish line at Plouay
• David Garcia (Caisse D'Espargne) congratulates Alessandro Ballan (Lampre) watched by a happy Fedrigo
• The podium - Garcia, Fedrigo and Ballan
• An emphatic win by Pierrick Fedrigo (Boygues Telecom) ahead of Alessandro Ballan (Lampre)
• Allan Davis (Mitsubishi Jartazi) (centre) takes the sprint for fourth from Jose Joaquin Gil (Caisse D'Espargne) and Arnaud Gerard (Francaise Des Jeux)
• As the crowd on the hill watch the podium ceremony preparations below them , the grandstand gets a rerun of the win on the big screen.

Images by Régis Garnier/www.velofotopro.com

• Andy and Fränk Schleck ready for the fight in Plouay.
• Filippo Pozzato (Liquigas) shoes up at the start in Plouay.
• All is ok for Kevin de Weert (Cofidis)
• Fabian Wegmann (Gerolsteiner) shows his bottles for the battle.
• Juan Antonio Flecha (Rabobank) thinking about his next breakaway
• Jeremy Roy (Française des Jeux) with his fans.
• Filippo Pozzato (Liquigas) was watching the Slipstream/Garmin riders too much in the spring.
• Ignas Konovalovas (Crédit-Agricole) chats with his team-mate Alexandre Botcharov.
• Wiliam Bonnet (Crédit Agricole) and Anthony Charteau (Caisse d'Epargne) at the start.
• Pozzato and Wegmann get ready.
• Christophe Moreau (Agritubel) leads the escape.
• Fabian Wegmann (Gerolsteiner) in the bunch.
• Pierrick Fédrigo (Bouygues Telecom) wins the Grand Prix Ouest- France in Plouay.
• The podium (l-r) with David Lopez (Caisse d'Epargne) - Pierrick Fedrigo (Bouygues Telecom) - Alessandro Ballan (Lampre)
• Pierrick Fédrigo (Bouygues Telecom) attacks followed by Romain Feillu (Agritubel).
• Pierrick Fédrigo (Bouygues Telecom) congratulated by his assistant after his victory.

Images by Fabrice Lambert, Grand Prix de Plouay

• Pierrick Fedrigo (Bouygues Telecom) reacts to his win in Plouay.
• The GP Plouay podium
• Time for the champagne spray.
• The podium - Garcia, Fedrigo and Ballan
• Fedrigo gets his flowers.
• Kisses for the winner Pierrick Fedrigo.
• Pierrick Fedrigo (Bouygues Telecom) hits the line ahead of Ballan and David Lopez Garcia (Caisse d'Epargne)
• Fedrigo beat Alessandro Ballan (Lampre) in the sprint.
• Pierrick Fedrigo (Bouygues Telecom) took his third win of the season.
• The slight uphill sprint was even more difficult after 230km
• The sprint from the peloton was taken by Allan Davis (Mitsubishi Jartazi)
• Pierrick Fedrigo (Bouygues Telecom) enjoys his time on the podium.
• Nicolas Vogondy (Agritubel) and other French riders were in a chatty mood early on.
• The bunch in the French country side
• Quick Step led the charge to get back to the break
• CSC also tried to reel in the escapees
• The flag of Brittany flies above Plouay.
• There was a strong turnout of the spectators, despite the foul weather.
• The tricolore flying high as the peloton passes by.
• The bunch passing through the start-finish area under threatening skies.
• Pablo Lastras (Caisse d'Epargne) during his get-away attempt but the break was not far off.
• Lastras was caught and tried to hang on but he eventually was dropped.
• Pierrick Fédrigo (Bouygues Telecom) not looking confident yet with one lap to go.
• Christophe Moreau (Agritubel) leads the break through the start finish area.

Stage 1 - August 24: Women's World Cup GP de Plouay, 114.6 km

For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here

Images by Régis Garnier/www.velofotopro.com

• Team Bigla on the start line.
• Emmanuelle Merlot and Karine Gautard (Vienne Futuroscope) happy to rides in France.
• World cup leader, Judith Arndt (Team Columbia)
• Noemi Cantele (Team Bilga)
• French youngster Julie Krasniak on the start in Plouay.
• Amy Gillett lives on in spirit three years after the Australian's death.
• Noemi Cantele (Team Bigla) is the defending champion.
• Aussie Tiffany Cromwell (Australie National Team) during the race.
• A big smile from this New Zealand rider.
• World cup leader Judith Arndt leads a group.
• A hard day for security!
• Fabiana Luperini (Menikini - Selle Italia) wins Grand Prix de Plouay followed by Luise Keller.
• Judith Ardnt (Columbia) finished fourth.
• Fabiana Luperini congratulated by organizer Jean-Yves Tranvaux.
• Fabiana Luperini and Luise Keller during the last kilometer.
• The podium with Luise Keller, Fabiana Luperini and Suzanne De Goede.
• Judith Arndt stays leader of the UCI Women's World Cup.

Images by CJ Farquharson/WomensCycling.net

• Luise Keller (Team Columbia) looked calm as she waited for the start.
• Fabiana Luperini (Menikini Selle Italia) on her way to the start line.
• Joanne Kiesanowski (New Zealand) had been racing in the USA since June prior to the Olympic Games.
• World Cup leader Judith Arndt (Team Columbia) rolls out with 2007 race winner Noemi Cantele (Team Bigla) on her wheel.
• An early breakaway was appreciated by the large crowds on the circuit.
• Anke Wichmann (Team Columbia) leads the chase of the breakaway.
• The bunch all together early in the race.
• Judith Arndt (Team Columbia) sits in the bunch as her team-mates cover attacks by other teams.
• Kim Anderson (Team Columbia) is followed by the bunch after a solo attack.
• Kim Anderson (Team Columbia) on her own, on a day where Team Columbia were aggressive almost from the gun.
• The bunch look at other as no one seems interested in chasing Kim Anderson (Team Columbia).
• Fabiana Luperini (Menikini Selle Italia) sat at the back of the bunch early in the race.
• Anke Wichmann (Team Columbia) and Miho Oki (Menikini Selle Italia) broke away after about 35 kilometres.
• Andrea Thurig (Team Bigla) takes a drink.
• Judith Arndt (Team Columbia) was marked pretty closely by Noemi Cantele (Team Bigla) throughout the race.
• Luise Keller (Team Columbia) and Fabiana Luperini (Menikini Selle Italia) are surrounded by race vehicles as their break away margin increases.
• It was left to the Swiss teams to chase the leaders. Nicole Brandli and Andrea Thurig (Team Bigla) with Carla Ryan (Cervelo Lifeforce).
• Beatrice Thomas (ASGL-GSD 93) tried to bridge between the bunch and the leaders with 23 kilometres to go.
• The sprint: Fabiana Luperini (Menikini Selle Italia) seems to have the legs over Luise Keller (Team Columbia) with 25 metres to go.
• Fabiana Luperini (Menikini Selle Italia) sprints to the line as Luise Keller (Team Columbia) realises she's defeated.
• Bunch sprint: Suzanne De Goede (Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung) beats Judith Arndt (Team Columbia) for third.
• Fabiana Luperini (Menikini Selle Italia) salutes from the podium.
• Podium (L-R): Luise Keller (Team Columbia), Fabiana Luperini (Menikini Selle Italia) and Suzanne De Goede (Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung).
• On top of the world: World Cup leader Judith Arndt (Team Columbia) on the podium. She now knows she's won the 2008 competition.