Tour du Limousin 2020 – Stage 1 [FULL STAGE] (french)

August 18, 2020

Tour du Limousin 2020 – Stage 1 – Couzeix – Evaux-Les-Bains : 183,5 km

Tour du Limousin is a 4-day road bicycle race held annually in Limousin, France. It was first held in 1968 and since 2005 it has been organised as a 2.1 event on the UCI Europe Tour. In 2011 it was upgraded to an 2.HC event, and downgraded to 2.1 since 2013. Between 1968 and 1974 it was an amateur race.

Luca Wackermann (Vini Zabù-KTM) took his team’s first win of the season on the opening stage of the Tour du Limousin, attacking on the hilltop finale to leave a reduced group trailing in behind in Evaux-les-Bains.

The Italian, who had launched an unsuccessful attack on the penultimate climb of the day, crossed the line solo ahead of Jake Stewart (Groupama-FDJ Continental), who celebrated as he led the chasers home seven seconds down. Jon Aberasturi (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA) rounded out the podium in third place.

Wackermann had earlier attacked on the penultimate climb of the day before being caught by the reduced peloton with 5km to go. He was clearly the strongest man of the stage, blowing past an earlier attacker to ride the final 1.5km uphill alone.

“It was very hard today,” said Wackermann, who now holds the race lead by 11 seconds.

“On the next to last climb I attacked but It was no good. I waited for the small group and then tried again on the final climb.”It’s a result of some very hard work at home, so I’m very happy.”

How it unfolded

The peloton set off from Couzeix under cloudy skies to kick off the Tour du Limousin. A rolling 183.5km stage would see the riders tackle three categorised climbs, several more ‘hidden’ hlils, and a 1.9km, 6.3 per cent ramp to the finish in Évaux-les-Bains.

A fast start saw a number of attacks off the front before Sam Brand (Novo Nordisk), Iker Ballarin (Euskaltel-Euskadi) and Jan Petelin (Vini Zabù-KTM) get away. The trio held a lead of 15 seconds after 10km, enough for Tony Hurel (St Michel-Auber 93) to get across and make it four in the break of the day.

Before long, they were well away, 3:20 up the road after 15km of racing. Their maximum advantage was five minutes after two hours of racing, but the quartet would not be allowed to stay away to the finish on a tough stage to start the race.

Hurel took the points at the first climb of the day, the Côte de Pionnat, though the peloton quickly upped the pace afterwards, bringing the gap down from two minutes to under half a minute. There were splits in the peloton as attacks flew up front, with Fernando Gaviria (UAE Team Emirates) maintaining a presence at the head of the peloton.

By the time the riders were climbing en route to the second-category Côte de Toulx-Sainte-Croix, Oliver Le Gac (Groupama-FDJ) and Marlon Gaillard (Total Direct Energie) had sprung away, and were joined by Alejandro Osorio (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA), Joël Suter (Bingoal-Wallonie Bruxelles) and Delio Fernández (Nippo Delko One Provence). Gaillard crashed out of the move at the 44km to go mark, leaving his four companions to a 40-second lead.

In the peloton, UAE and Cofidis were the teams putting in work. Everything was back under control for the peloton as the two closing circuits loomed, with the escapees brought back by UAE at the 30km mark. At that point, three further climbs remained – two to the finish and the 2km, 5.3 per cent Côte du Châtelet in between.

AG2R La Mondiale took up the pacemaking ahead of the Châtelet, while attacks on the climb saw the peloton split to pieces. Wackermann led the way over the top, with Thibault Ferasse (Natura4ever-Roubaix-Lille Métropole) following him to get off the front on the descent.

The pair put up a good fight getting away 9km from the line but with around 30 riders chasing they were caught with 5km to go, meaning a larger battle for victory up to the hilltop finish. Marti Marquez (Equipo Kern Pharma) launched the attacking with 2km to go but Wackermann proved the strongest, flying past the Spaniard to ride under the flamme rouge alone.

The chase group behind was lined out in an effort to chase the 28-year-old Italian down, but it was to no avail as Wackermann had to celebrate his victory before crossing the line. Stewart led the peloton home seven seconds later to claim his best result of the 2020 season so far.

Results :
1 Luca Wackermann (Ita) Vini Zabu’ KTM 4:30:29
2 Jake Stewart (GBr) Groupama-FDJ 0:00:07
3 Jon Aberasturi Izaga (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA
4 Benjamin Declercq (Bel) Team Arkea-Samsic
5 Thibault Ferasse (Fra) Natura4ever-Roubaix-Lille Metropole
6 Francisco Galvan Fernandez (Spa) Kern Pharma
7 Connor Swift (GBr) Team Arkea-Samsic
8 Filippo Fiorelli (Ita) Bardiani CSF Faizane’
9 Joel Suter (Swi) Bingoal WB
10 Dimitri Claeys (Bel) Cofidis
11 Rui Costa (Por) UAE Team Emirates
12 Quentin Jauregui (Fra) AG2R la Mondiale
13 Mathias De Witte (Bel) Natura4ever-Roubaix-Lille Metropole
14 Geoffrey Bouchard (Fra) AG2R la Mondiale
15 Lilian Calmejane (Fra) Total Direct Energie
16 Sergei Chernetskii (Rus) Gazprom-Rusvelo
17 Romain Combaud (Fra) Nippo Delko Provence
18 Antonio Angulo Sampedro (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
19 Anthony Delaplace (Fra) Team Arkea-Samsic
20 Olivier Le Gac (Fra) Groupama-FDJ
21 Jonathan Lastra Martinez (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA
22 Marti Marquez Roman (Spa) Kern Pharma
23 Mauro Finetto (Ita) Nippo Delko Provence
24 Simon Guglielmi (Fra) Groupama-FDJ
25 David Gaudu (Fra) Groupama-FDJ
26 Alan Riou (Fra) Team Arkea-Samsic
27 Valentin Ferron (Fra) Total Direct Energie
28 Kevin Ledanois (Fra) Team Arkea-Samsic
29 Vincenzo Albanese (Ita) Bardiani CSF Faizane’
30 Flavien Maurelet (Fra) St Michel-Auber 93 0:00:20
31 Max Kanter (Ger) Team Sunweb 0:00:35
32 Charles Planet (Fra) Team Novo Nordisk
33 Dimitri Peyskens (Bel) Bingoal WB
34 Michael Storer (Aus) Team Sunweb 0:00:37
35 Daniel Savini (Ita) Bardiani CSF Faizane’ 0:00:45
36 Nico Denz (Ger) Team Sunweb
37 Tobias Ludvigsson (Swe) Groupama-FDJ 0:00:54
38 Alessandro Tonelli (Ita) Bardiani CSF Faizane’
39 François Bidard (Fra) AG2R la Mondiale
40 Péter Kusztor (Hun) Team Novo Nordisk
41 Luca Mozzato (Ita) B&B Hotels-Vital Concept
42 Julen Irizar Laskurain (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 0:01:32
43 Alberto Dainese (Ita) Team Sunweb 0:01:44
44 Petr Rikunov (Rus) Gazprom-Rusvelo 0:02:00
45 Julien Vermote (Bel) Cofidis
46 Adrien Guillonnet (Fra) St Michel-Auber 93
47 Jeremy Bellicaud (Fra) Circus-Wanty Gobert
48 Axel Domont (Fra) AG2R la Mondiale
49 Ben Gastauer (Lux) AG2R la Mondiale
50 Matteo Malucelli (Ita) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA
51 Alexis Gougeard (Fra) AG2R la Mondiale 0:02:41
52 Clément Chevrier (Fra) AG2R la Mondiale
53 Danny Van Poppel (Ned) Circus-Wanty Gobert
54 Marlon Gaillard (Fra) Total Direct Energie
55 Jérémy Leveau (Fra) Natura4ever-Roubaix-Lille Metropole
56 Dmitrii Strakhov (Rus) Gazprom-Rusvelo
57 Léo Vincent (Fra) Groupama-FDJ
58 Eduard-Michael Grosu (Rom) Nippo Delko Provence 0:03:33
59 Kevyn Ista (Bel) Bingoal WB 0:05:12
60 Laurent Pichon (Fra) Team Arkea-Samsic
61 Eddy Fine (Fra) Cofidis
62 Adrien Garel (Fra) B&B Hotels-Vital Concept
63 Brandon McNulty (USA) UAE Team Emirates 0:05:50
64 Leonardo Tortomasi (Ita) Vini Zabu’ KTM 0:06:14
65 Fabio Mazzucco (Ita) Bardiani CSF Faizane’
66 Andrea Peron (Ita) Team Novo Nordisk
67 Juan Jose Lobato del Valle (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
68 Nathan Haas (Aus) Cofidis
69 Mathijs Paasschens (Ned) Bingoal WB
70 Igor Boev (Rus) Gazprom-Rusvelo
71 Wesley Kreder (Ned) Circus-Wanty Gobert
72 Boy Van Poppel (Ned) Circus-Wanty Gobert
73 Piet Allegaert (Bel) Cofidis
74 Alessandro Fedeli (Ita) Nippo Delko Provence 0:07:26
75 Juan Fernando Calle Hurtado (Col) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA 0:08:47
76 Fernando Gaviria Rendon (Col) UAE Team Emirates
77 Delio Fernandez Cruz (Spa) Nippo Delko Provence 0:09:15
78 Thomas Boudat (Fra) Team Arkea-Samsic 0:09:52
79 Emmanuel Morin (Fra) Cofidis
80 Jérémy Lecroq (Fra) B&B Hotels-Vital Concept 0:10:37
81 Pierre Idjouadiene (Fra) Natura4ever-Roubaix-Lille Metropole
82 Jokin Aranburu Arruti (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
83 Iker Ballarin Manso (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
84 Jasper Philipsen (Bel) UAE Team Emirates
85 Riccardo Stacchiotti (Ita) Vini Zabu’ KTM
86 Alfdan De Decker (Bel) Circus-Wanty Gobert
87 Kenneth Vanbilsen (Bel) Cofidis
88 Alejandro Osorio Carvajal (Col) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA
89 Mikel Aristi Gardoki (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
90 Marco Marcato (Ita) UAE Team Emirates 0:11:51
91 Maximiliano Ariel Richeze (Arg) UAE Team Emirates
92 Rui Oliveira (Por) UAE Team Emirates
93 Julien Morice (Fra) B&B Hotels-Vital Concept
94 Asbjørn Kragh Andersen (Den) Team Sunweb
95 Martin Salmon (Ger) Team Sunweb
96 Giovanni Lonardi (Ita) Bardiani CSF Faizane’
97 William Bonnet (Fra) Groupama-FDJ
98 Jordan Levasseur (Fra) Natura4ever-Roubaix-Lille Metropole
99 Evgeny Shalunov (Rus) Gazprom-Rusvelo
100 Orluis Alberto Aular Sanabria (Ven) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA
101 Leonardo Bonifazio (Ita) Total Direct Energie
102 Brian Kamstra (Ned) Team Novo Nordisk
103 Jarno Mobach (Ned) Team Sunweb 0:14:46
104 Roberto González (Pan) Vini Zabu’ KTM
105 Imerio Cima (Ita) Gazprom-Rusvelo
106 Peio Goikoetxea Goiogana (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
107 Baptiste Constantin (Fra) St Michel-Auber 93 0:15:06
108 Sam Brand (GBr) Team Novo Nordisk 0:15:37
109 Lucas De Rossi (Fra) Nippo Delko Provence 0:15:43
110 Romain Cardis (Fra) Total Direct Energie
111 Gonzalo Serrano Rodriguez (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA
112 Tom Devriendt (Bel) Circus-Wanty Gobert 0:15:59
113 Louis Louvet (Fra) St Michel-Auber 93 0:16:07
114 Maxime Cam (Fra) B&B Hotels-Vital Concept 0:16:13
115 Justin Mottier (Fra) B&B Hotels-Vital Concept
116 Laurenz Rex (Bel) Bingoal WB 0:19:14
117 Viacheslav Kuznetsov (Rus) Gazprom-Rusvelo 0:21:12
118 Dusan Rajovic (Srb) Nippo Delko Provence 0:21:18
119 Sergio Nestor Araiz Michel (Spa) Kern Pharma 0:21:26
120 Ibon Ruiz Sedano (Spa) Kern Pharma
121 Enrique Sanz Unzue (Spa) Kern Pharma
122 Daniel Alejandro Mendez Noreña (Col) Kern Pharma
123 Maximilien Picoux (Bel) Natura4ever-Roubaix-Lille Metropole
124 Tony Hurel (Fra) St Michel-Auber 93
125 Jonathan Hivert (Fra) Total Direct Energie
126 Kris Boeckmans (Bel) B&B Hotels-Vital Concept 0:21:29
127 Andrea Bartolozzi (Ita) Vini Zabu’ KTM
128 Umberto Poli (Ita) Team Novo Nordisk 0:23:27
129 Sean De Bie (Bel) Bingoal WB
130 Jan Petelin (Lux) Vini Zabu’ KTM
131 Franklin Six (Bel) Bingoal WB
132 Oliver Behringer (Swi) Team Novo Nordisk
133 Etienne Van Empel (Ned) Vini Zabu’ KTM
134 Nicolas Dalla Valle (Ita) Bardiani CSF Faizane’ 0:23:37
135 Morné Van Niekerk (RSA) St Michel-Auber 93 0:32:04
136 Jon Agirre Egaña (Spa) Kern Pharma 0:35:42
DNF Tom Dernies (Bel) Natura4ever-Roubaix-Lille Metropole
DNF Bryan Alaphilippe (Fra) St Michel-Auber 93
DNF Paul Ourselin (Fra) Total Direct Energie

General Classification after Stage 1 :
1 Luca Wackermann (Ita) Vini Zabu’ KTM 4:30:19
2 Jake Stewart (GBr) Groupama-FDJ 0:00:11
3 Jon Aberasturi Izaga (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA 0:00:13
4 Joel Suter (Swi) Bingoal WB 0:00:14
5 Olivier Le Gac (Fra) Groupama-FDJ 0:00:15
6 Rui Costa (Por) UAE Team Emirates 0:00:16
7 Benjamin Declercq (Bel) Team Arkea-Samsic 0:00:17
8 Thibault Ferasse (Fra) Natura4ever-Roubaix-Lille Metropole
9 Francisco Galvan Fernandez (Spa) Kern Pharma
10 Connor Swift (GBr) Team Arkea-Samsic
11 Filippo Fiorelli (Ita) Bardiani CSF Faizane’
12 Dimitri Claeys (Bel) Cofidis
13 Quentin Jauregui (Fra) AG2R la Mondiale
14 Mathias De Witte (Bel) Natura4ever-Roubaix-Lille Metropole
15 Geoffrey Bouchard (Fra) AG2R la Mondiale
16 Lilian Calmejane (Fra) Total Direct Energie
17 Sergei Chernetskii (Rus) Gazprom-Rusvelo
18 Romain Combaud (Fra) Nippo Delko Provence
19 Antonio Angulo Sampedro (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
20 Anthony Delaplace (Fra) Team Arkea-Samsic
21 Jonathan Lastra Martinez (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA
22 Marti Marquez Roman (Spa) Kern Pharma
23 Mauro Finetto (Ita) Nippo Delko Provence
24 Simon Guglielmi (Fra) Groupama-FDJ
25 David Gaudu (Fra) Groupama-FDJ
26 Alan Riou (Fra) Team Arkea-Samsic
27 Valentin Ferron (Fra) Total Direct Energie
28 Kevin Ledanois (Fra) Team Arkea-Samsic
29 Vincenzo Albanese (Ita) Bardiani CSF Faizane’
30 Flavien Maurelet (Fra) St Michel-Auber 93 0:00:30
31 Max Kanter (Ger) Team Sunweb 0:00:45
32 Charles Planet (Fra) Team Novo Nordisk
33 Dimitri Peyskens (Bel) Bingoal WB
34 Michael Storer (Aus) Team Sunweb 0:00:47
35 Daniel Savini (Ita) Bardiani CSF Faizane’ 0:00:55
36 Nico Denz (Ger) Team Sunweb
37 Tobias Ludvigsson (Swe) Groupama-FDJ 0:01:04
38 Alessandro Tonelli (Ita) Bardiani CSF Faizane’
39 François Bidard (Fra) AG2R la Mondiale
40 Péter Kusztor (Hun) Team Novo Nordisk
41 Luca Mozzato (Ita) B&B Hotels-Vital Concept
42 Julen Irizar Laskurain (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 0:01:42
43 Alberto Dainese (Ita) Team Sunweb 0:01:54
44 Petr Rikunov (Rus) Gazprom-Rusvelo 0:02:10
45 Julien Vermote (Bel) Cofidis
46 Adrien Guillonnet (Fra) St Michel-Auber 93
47 Jeremy Bellicaud (Fra) Circus-Wanty Gobert
48 Axel Domont (Fra) AG2R la Mondiale
49 Ben Gastauer (Lux) AG2R la Mondiale
50 Matteo Malucelli (Ita) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA
51 Alexis Gougeard (Fra) AG2R la Mondiale 0:02:51
52 Clément Chevrier (Fra) AG2R la Mondiale
53 Danny Van Poppel (Ned) Circus-Wanty Gobert
54 Marlon Gaillard (Fra) Total Direct Energie
55 Jérémy Leveau (Fra) Natura4ever-Roubaix-Lille Metropole
56 Dmitrii Strakhov (Rus) Gazprom-Rusvelo
57 Léo Vincent (Fra) Groupama-FDJ
58 Eduard-Michael Grosu (Rom) Nippo Delko Provence 0:03:43
59 Kevyn Ista (Bel) Bingoal WB 0:05:22
60 Laurent Pichon (Fra) Team Arkea-Samsic
61 Eddy Fine (Fra) Cofidis
62 Adrien Garel (Fra) B&B Hotels-Vital Concept
63 Brandon McNulty (USA) UAE Team Emirates 0:06:00
64 Leonardo Tortomasi (Ita) Vini Zabu’ KTM 0:06:24
65 Fabio Mazzucco (Ita) Bardiani CSF Faizane’
66 Andrea Peron (Ita) Team Novo Nordisk
67 Juan Jose Lobato del Valle (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
68 Nathan Haas (Aus) Cofidis
69 Mathijs Paasschens (Ned) Bingoal WB
70 Igor Boev (Rus) Gazprom-Rusvelo
71 Wesley Kreder (Ned) Circus-Wanty Gobert
72 Boy Van Poppel (Ned) Circus-Wanty Gobert
73 Piet Allegaert (Bel) Cofidis
74 Alessandro Fedeli (Ita) Nippo Delko Provence 0:07:36
75 Juan Fernando Calle Hurtado (Col) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA 0:08:57
76 Fernando Gaviria Rendon (Col) UAE Team Emirates
77 Delio Fernandez Cruz (Spa) Nippo Delko Provence 0:09:24
78 Thomas Boudat (Fra) Team Arkea-Samsic 0:10:02
79 Emmanuel Morin (Fra) Cofidis
80 Jérémy Lecroq (Fra) B&B Hotels-Vital Concept 0:10:47
81 Pierre Idjouadiene (Fra) Natura4ever-Roubaix-Lille Metropole
82 Jokin Aranburu Arruti (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
83 Iker Ballarin Manso (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
84 Jasper Philipsen (Bel) UAE Team Emirates
85 Riccardo Stacchiotti (Ita) Vini Zabu’ KTM
86 Alfdan De Decker (Bel) Circus-Wanty Gobert
87 Kenneth Vanbilsen (Bel) Cofidis
88 Alejandro Osorio Carvajal (Col) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA
89 Mikel Aristi Gardoki (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
90 Marco Marcato (Ita) UAE Team Emirates 0:12:01
91 Maximiliano Ariel Richeze (Arg) UAE Team Emirates
92 Rui Oliveira (Por) UAE Team Emirates
93 Julien Morice (Fra) B&B Hotels-Vital Concept
94 Asbjørn Kragh Andersen (Den) Team Sunweb
95 Martin Salmon (Ger) Team Sunweb
96 Giovanni Lonardi (Ita) Bardiani CSF Faizane’
97 William Bonnet (Fra) Groupama-FDJ
98 Jordan Levasseur (Fra) Natura4ever-Roubaix-Lille Metropole
99 Evgeny Shalunov (Rus) Gazprom-Rusvelo
100 Orluis Alberto Aular Sanabria (Ven) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA
101 Leonardo Bonifazio (Ita) Total Direct Energie
102 Brian Kamstra (Ned) Team Novo Nordisk
103 Jarno Mobach (Ned) Team Sunweb 0:14:56
104 Roberto González (Pan) Vini Zabu’ KTM
105 Imerio Cima (Ita) Gazprom-Rusvelo
106 Peio Goikoetxea Goiogana (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
107 Baptiste Constantin (Fra) St Michel-Auber 93 0:15:16
108 Sam Brand (GBr) Team Novo Nordisk 0:15:46
109 Lucas De Rossi (Fra) Nippo Delko Provence 0:15:53
110 Romain Cardis (Fra) Total Direct Energie
111 Gonzalo Serrano Rodriguez (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA
112 Tom Devriendt (Bel) Circus-Wanty Gobert 0:16:09
113 Louis Louvet (Fra) St Michel-Auber 93 0:16:17
114 Maxime Cam (Fra) B&B Hotels-Vital Concept 0:16:23
115 Justin Mottier (Fra) B&B Hotels-Vital Concept
116 Laurenz Rex (Bel) Bingoal WB 0:19:24
117 Viacheslav Kuznetsov (Rus) Gazprom-Rusvelo 0:21:22
118 Dusan Rajovic (Srb) Nippo Delko Provence 0:21:28
119 Tony Hurel (Fra) St Michel-Auber 93 0:21:31
120 Sergio Nestor Araiz Michel (Spa) Kern Pharma 0:21:36
121 Ibon Ruiz Sedano (Spa) Kern Pharma
122 Enrique Sanz Unzue (Spa) Kern Pharma
123 Daniel Alejandro Mendez Noreña (Col) Kern Pharma
124 Maximilien Picoux (Bel) Natura4ever-Roubaix-Lille Metropole
125 Jonathan Hivert (Fra) Total Direct Energie
126 Kris Boeckmans (Bel) B&B Hotels-Vital Concept 0:21:39
127 Andrea Bartolozzi (Ita) Vini Zabu’ KTM
128 Jan Petelin (Lux) Vini Zabu’ KTM 0:23:32
129 Umberto Poli (Ita) Team Novo Nordisk 0:23:37
130 Sean De Bie (Bel) Bingoal WB
131 Franklin Six (Bel) Bingoal WB
132 Oliver Behringer (Swi) Team Novo Nordisk
133 Etienne Van Empel (Ned) Vini Zabu’ KTM
134 Nicolas Dalla Valle (Ita) Bardiani CSF Faizane’ 0:23:47
135 Morné Van Niekerk (RSA) St Michel-Auber 93 0:32:14
136 Jon Agirre Egaña (Spa) Kern Pharma 0:35:52