photo credit @ La Route du Sud/Facebook
Steven Tronet (Auber 93) claimed the opening stage of this year’s Route du Sud, with a well-timed surge during the final uphill finish in Auch – to deny Romain Hardy (Cofidis) and Michael Carbel Svengaard (Cult Energy) the victory.
Race Highlights
Today’s 204 kilometer stage, saw a small breakaway group containing, Cédric Pineau (FDJ), Beñat Txoperena (Murias Taldea), Daniel Martinez (Colombia) and Hector Saez (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA), get underway earlier on in the race.
Meanwhile, Alberto Contador and his Tinkoff-Saxo team kept a watchful eye over the escapees, while last month’s Giro d’Italia winner rode safety in the pack.
As the race entered into the final 25 kilometers, the escapees were still holding onto a 1:30 advantage over the peloton.
However, with the peloton right at their door, the young Martinez decided to make a go of it alone during the approach of the Côte de Lavardens.
This in turn triggered a flurry of attacks back in the peloton, with Juul-Jensen and Julien Bérard (Ag2r-La Mondiale) eventually making their way past the remnants of the breakaway, and later past the lone leader – Martinez.
From there, the lead duo was joined by Quentin Jauregi (Ag2r-La Mondiale), Karel Hnik (Cult Energy Pro Cycling), Stéphane Rossetto (Cofidis) and Miguel Angel Rubiano (Colombia), as the race headed into the final 17 kilometers.
Bérard was the first rider to be dropped from the escape group, while the remaining 5 riders continued to hold onto a slight advantage over the chase – during the final 2 kilometers.
Just as the race appeared to be boiling down to a sprint finale amongst the 5 escapees, the peloton suddenly brought the curtains down on their chances, as the field came back together in the waning moments of the stage – with Tronet making his way along the uphill finishing straight to seize the victory.
Stage 1 Results FRA 1 TRONET, Steven (AUBER 93) 5:04:46 FRA 2 HARDY, Romain (COFIDIS, SOLUTIONS CREDITS) DEN 3 SVENDGAARD, Michael Carbel (CULT ENERGY PRO CYCLING) FRA 4 PACHER, Quentin (EQUIPE CYCLISTE DE L’ARMEE DE TERRE) + 3 NOR 5 SKJERPING, Kristoffer (CANNONDALE – GARMIN) GER 6 GERDEMANN, Linus (CULT ENERGY PRO CYCLING) FRA 7 ROUX, Anthony (FDJ) FRA 8 MOLARD, Rudy (COFIDIS, SOLUTIONS CREDITS) COL 9 AVILA VANEGAS, Edwin Alcibiades (COLOMBIA) ESP 10 CONTADOR VELASCO, Alberto (TINKOFF – SAXO)
General Classification after Stage 1 FRA 1 TRONET, Steven (AUBER 93) 5:04:46 FRA 2 HARDY, Romain (COFIDIS, SOLUTIONS CREDITS) DEN 3 SVENDGAARD, Michael Carbel (CULT ENERGY PRO CYCLING) FRA 4 PACHER, Quentin (EQUIPE CYCLISTE DE L’ARMEE DE TERRE) + 3 NOR 5 SKJERPING, Kristoffer (CANNONDALE – GARMIN) GER 6 GERDEMANN, Linus (CULT ENERGY PRO CYCLING) FRA 7 ROUX, Anthony (FDJ) FRA 8 MOLARD, Rudy (COFIDIS, SOLUTIONS CREDITS) COL 9 AVILA VANEGAS, Edwin Alcibiades (COLOMBIA) ESP 10 CONTADOR VELASCO, Alberto (TINKOFF – SAXO)
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