Grand Prix Cycliste la Marseillaise 2014 (1.1), Feb 2 2014

[Dazed and Confused]

The start of the road season 2.0 (there will be 3.0 and 4.0 as well).

Parcours:

A handful of past winners:
2013 JULES Justin
2012 DUMOULIN Samuel
2011 ROY Jérémy
2010 HIVERT Jonathan
2009 PAURIOL Rémi

Teams participating along with a couple of key riders:

1. Team La Pomme Marseille (Giraud, Jules)
2. AG2R La Mondiale (Dumoulin, Bardet)
3. Equipe Cycliste FDJ.fr (Pinot, Vichot)
4. Team Europcar (Gautier, Malacarne)
5. Cofidis Solutions Crédits (Simon, Bagot)
6. BigMat - Auber 93 (Tronet, Jakin)
7. Bretagne- Séché Environnement (Vachon, Feillu)
8. Roubaix - Lille Métropole (Planckaert, Dupont)
9. Lotto Belisol Team (Gallopin, Monfort)
10. Team Giant-Shimano (Degenkolb, Barguil)
11. IAM Cycling (Chavanel, Pelucchi)
12. Caja Rural-Seguros RGA (Arroyo, Lasca)
14. CCC Polsat Polkowice (Rebellin, Paterski)
15. Topsport Vlaanderen – Baloise (Jacobs, Van Asbroeck)
16. Verandas Willems (Bille, Vereecken)
17. Wallonie - Bruxelles (Delfosse, Amorison)
18. Wanty - Groupe Gobert (Leukemans, Drucker)
19. An Post - Chainreaction (O\' Shea, Claeys)

(see more on procyclingstats.com)

Start time 12:40 (CET)
Scheduled finish: 16:30

My guess is directvelo will have a ticker.

So who will win? Wanty will continue the domination from Bongoland and clinch the deal: Leukemans.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

no colombia? they were on earlier start lists. I hope they aren't in europe yhet though and finally learn some of their mistakes

 

[veji11]

An interesting split in the pack of favorites, between those who want a sprint (it would be a sprint with 40/50 guys at most anyway) like Degenlkob, Coquard, Simon, Dumoulin or Leukemans, and those who (if they have the legs and are motivated, a big if so early in the season) will want some movement so that the decision is made in a smaller group : the FDJs like Vichot and guys like Chavanel, Gallopin, Bardet, Rebellin or Barguil.

So early in the season it is hard to know. In 2013 you had a peloton of about 35 guys together (Justin Jules won), in 2012 a group of 15 (Dumoulin won), in 2011 Jeremy Roy won detached more than 2'30 ahead of the bunch, in 2010 hivert won a big sprint of 80 guys.

A nice race so early in the season because it is often unclear how it will unfold. My bet would be on a 30/40 guys sprint, because the Chavanels, Gallopins and FDJ would have to be really motivated to try and blow it up.

At to that that in France it is well known that winning this race brings bad luck for the rest of the year !

 

[search]

no colombia? they were on earlier start lists. I hope they aren't in europe yhet though and finally learn some of their mistakes

they are doing GP Etruschi on sunday, then Etoile de Besseges and Tour Medeterraneen before heading off to Langkawi. Duarte is listed for all races as far as I can see, around the world with Team Colombia...

 

[Ruudz0r]

 

[Dazed and Confused]

snipped...

At to that that in France it is well known that winning this race brings bad luck for the rest of the year !

and just for the hell of it, Justin Jules didn't win again last year. Still La Pomme Marseille probably didn't care about that. Repeat win? Its possible, not a bad team.

 

[greenedge]

Degenkolb seems most likely.

 

[janraaskalt]

Degenkolb seems most likely.

It would not surprise me if Giant would give Barguil a chance instead.

 

[Ferminal]

In a sprint? Hardly an exclusive decision.

 

[trevim]

I would like to see Degenkolb winning solo. Hoping for a big win in the Ronde.

 

[Jancouver]

I would like to see Degenkolb winning solo. Hoping for a big win in the Ronde.

Degenkolb winning Ronde? You are a dreamer!

I really cant see him holding wheels of those like Cancellara, Boonen, Sagan or even somebody like Stybar.

I think there is a bigger chance of Kittel winning on Alpe d'Huez than Dagenkolb winning the Ronde

 

[trevim]

Degenkolb winning Ronde? You are a dreamer!

I really cant see him holding wheels of those like Cancellara, Boonen, Sagan or even somebody like Stybar.

I think there is a bigger chance of Kittel winning on Alpe d'Huez than Dagenkolb winning the Ronde

I didn't said it was likely. I think he's a 3rd tier contender; Nuyens wasn't all that much better back when he won. And please tell me when did Kittel placed 9th in a mountain stage?

 

[Jancouver]

I didn't said it was likely. I think he's a 3rd tier contender; Nuyens wasn't all that much better back when he won. And please tell me when did Kittel placed 9th in a mountain stage?

Kittel placed 9th in a mountain stage? NEVER

Of course Dagenkolb has better chance, it was joke only ... but almost the same when you have to face Cancellara, Boonen and Sagan

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Live ticker, race starts in about 60 minutes, but I'm going for a ride.

http://direct.directvelo.com/live-course/1846/grand-prix-d-ouverture-la-marseillaise-coupe-de-france-pmu.html

 

[Dazed and Confused]

With about 18km to go:


Mikaël Chérel (AG2R La Mondiale)

à 1'15'' : Arthur Vichot (FDJ.fr)

à 1'20'' : Peloton

Coquard vs the pocket rocket perhaps.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

8km left.

Chérel still ahead then a group with Dupont, Pinot, Vichot, Martinez and Zingle.

Peloton behind.

 

[brilleaben]

jacob stinker

 

[woodenswan]

Cmon Dumoulin! Cmon mate!

 

[jens_attacks]

seems like it will be close

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Kenneth Vanbilsen (TopSport) wins ahead of Baptiste Planckaert (Roubaix).

 

[Guybrush]

Kenneth Vanbilsen (TopSport) wins ahead of Baptiste Planckaert (Roubaix).

whoooo? oh... an odd winner

 

[Dazed and Confused]

whoooo? oh... an odd winner

Possible, top 5:

1 VANBILSEN Kenneth [www.procyclingstats.com] Topsport Vlaanderen – Baloise 80 75 3:34:18
2 PLANCKAERT Baptiste Roubaix - Lille Métropole 56 55 ,,
3 DUMOULIN Samuel AG2R La Mondiale 32 40 ,,
4 DEGENKOLB John Team Giant-Shimano 24 32 ,,
5 VICHOT Arthur [www.procyclingstats.com] FDJ.fr 20 28 ,,

Really need to see some footage of the last 10km or so.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Both Vanbilsen and Planckaert are sprinters normally... so it would have been a sprint most likely

 

[Gloin22]

It was a bunch sprint indeed.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

It was a bunch sprint indeed.

yep and at this time without serious trains anything can happen.

Solid win by Vanbilsen. Chapeau.