Grand Prix Cycliste la Marseillaise (1.1), 01.02.2015

[Dazed and Confused]

The original Euro opener, now perhaps just another one day race in France, but its usually a pretty good one action wise.

Startlist: http://www.cyclingfever.com/editie.html?detp=view&_ap=startlijst&editie_idd=MjYzNTA=

The excellent Direct Velo will provide updates eventually: http://direct.directvelo.com/live-c...ture-la-marseillaise-coupe-de-france-pmu.html

The winner from 2014, Van Bilsen will start again, but this time in Cofidis colours.

 

[manafana]

Thanks very much for starting thread, should be more chat for these going look for smart racer who might get going early doors for this.

 

[Maaaaaaaarten]

Screw the TDU, the glorified training rides in Mallorca this is the real start of the cycling season,

Hivert to escape the rabofail and come back strong!

 

[Dazed and Confused]

so this came and went. Result:

1 Pim Ligthart (Lotto-Soudal)
2 Kenneth Vanbilsen (Cofidis)
3 Antoine Demoiti? (Wallonie-Bruxelles)
4 Baptiste Planckaert (Roubaix Lille M?tropole)
5 Jonathan Hivert (Bretagne-S?ch? Environnement)
6 Marco Marcato (Wanty-Groupe Gobert)
7 Edward Theuns (Topsport Vlaanderen)
8 Maxime Renault (Auber 93)
9 Benjamin Giraud (Marseille 13 KTM)

A mixed bag. Anyway Van Bilsen almost managed a defense of his title.

First win for Lotto this season I think (?)

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Yep.
Also a nice win for Ligthart. He had a good 1st year as pro when he won the Hel van het Mergelland and the Dutch championships, but the last few years went a little bad.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

10 Amets Txurruka (CJR) - he was apparently in the break of the day, because of course he was.

 

[RedheadDane]

10 Amets Txurruka (CJR) - he was apparently in the break of the day, because of course he was.

Well, yeah, DOH! It's Txurruka we're talking about, not sure he really knows how to not attack.

 

[Bye Bye Bicycle]

10 Amets Txurruka (CJR) - he was apparently in the break of the day, because of course he was.

No he wasn't. The break of the day consisted of Conor Dunne (An Post-Chainreaction), Julien Duval (Arm?e de Terre), Frederik Veuchelen (Wanty-Groupe Gobert), Steven Tronet (Auber 93) and Thomas Vaubourzeix (Veranclassic-Ekoi). Txurruka was just part of a short-lived escape attempt on the descent of the Col de la Gineste.