February 20/16 16:26 pm - Tour Cycliste International du Haut Var-matin: Stage 1

Posted by Editoress on 02/20/16
 

Right from the beginning of the stage, Pierre-Roger Latour (AG2R-La Mondiale), Alessandro De Marchi (BMC Racing Team), Franck Bonnamour (Fortuneo Vital Concept) and Daniele Ratto (Androni) attacked and dropped the peloton. They were joined a few minutes later by two Belgians, Gaetan Pons (Wallonie Bruxelles) and Joeri Calleeuw (Verandas Willems). They quickly reached a gap of  6:00  on the bunch.

The peloton now lead by the teams Cofidis Solutions Crédits and FDJ were working, with 130 km to go, to close the gap. Then at the beginning of the climbs of Murs de Montauroux and Fayence, Team Movistar, Lampre-Merida joined and hardened the chase. At this time, the escapees were still 2:30 ahead.

At the start of the col du Blavet, the most difficult of the day, only Pierre-Roger Latour (AG2R-La Mondiale), Alessandro De Marchi (BMC Racing Team) and Franck Bonnamour (Fortuneo Vital Concept) remained in the break, by only a few seconds. They were finally caught by a peloton at the top, despite the attacks of Jérôme Cousin (Cofidis) and Lilian Calmejane (Direct Energy).

Antonio Pedrero (Movistar) and Anthony Turgis (Cofidis) tried their luck in the last kilometres without success. Finally, Tom-Jelte Slagter (Cannondale), 400 metres out from the finish attacked, winning the first stage of the Haut-Var Morning Tour. Arthur Vichot (FDJ) and Mikael Cherel (AG2R-La Mondiale) completed the podium of the day.

Direct Energie teammates Antoine Duchesne and Ryan Anderson finished 37th and 58th.

Stage 1: Cannet-des-Maures to Bagnols-en-Forêt, 155 km
1 Tom-Jelte Slagter (Ned) Cannondale Pro Cycling Team, 3:53:03
2 Arthur Vichot (Fra) FDJ
3 Mikaël Cherel (Fra) Ag2r La Mondiale
4 Jesus Herrada Lopez (Esp) Movistar Team
5 Julien Simon (Fra) Cofidis Solutions Crédits
6 Diego Ulissi (Ita) Lampre - Merida
7 Francesco Gavazzi (Ita) Androni Giocattoli - Sidermec
8 Alexey Tsatevich (Rus) Team Katusha
9 Petr Vakoc (Cze) Etixx - Quick Step
10 Patrick Bevin (NZl) Cannondale Pro Cycling Team, all s.t.

37 Antoine Duchesne (Can) Direct Energie, 0:09
58 Ryan Anderson (Can) Direct Energie, 0:34