National Championships 2018 – France – [Road Race – FULL RACE]

July 1, 2018

National Championships 2018 – France – Mantes-la-Jolie – Mantes-la-Jolie : 253 km

The French National Road Race Championship is a cycling race where the French cyclists decide who will become the champion for the year to come. The event was established in 1899, a professional championship was established in 1907 and the women’s championship was established in 1951. Several additional categories were added later. The record for victories is by one of the best female cyclists, Jeannie Longo, who has so far managed to win 20 road championships.

Anthony Roux (FDJ) came out on top in a thrilling race at the French national championships with powerful sprint to hold off Anthony Turgis (Cofidis) and Julian Alaphilippe (Quick-Step Floors). FDJ used their numbers in the finale perfectly to set up the win. With the line in sight Turgis opened up his sprint but Roux had enough in the tank to come back on terms and then take the win by a comfortable distance.

The win marked Roux’s first French champion title as he won a six-man sprint in Mantes-la-Jolie near Paris.

“I can’t believe it,” Roux said. “For so many years, I’ve been close to winning, also in the time trial [4th on Thursday]. I made the podium twice and once I was disqualified [for causing the crash of Nacer Bouhanni [in 2015]. I was afraid that I was not able to target the victory any more. I didn’t think the course would suit me. But the race went to perfection. I did everything to perform here after the Giro. Hadn’t Alaphilippe come across, Rudy Molard would have been the French champion. I wasn’t confident to beat Alaphilippe. When Turgis forced me to sprint from far out, it helped me to have a 56 gear at the front. We don’t become French championz by coincidence. It’s great to keep the title in the team.”

Founded in 1997 by the Madiot brothers who were themselves French champions in 1986 (Yvon) and 1987 (Marc), the FDJ team took the title only once in fifteen years, with Nicolas Vogondy in 2002. Roux keeps the winning streak that started with Nacer Bouhanni in 2012, followed by Arthur Vichot in 2013 (and again in 2016) and Arnaud Démare in 2014 (and again in 2017), and was only interrupted by the victory of continental rider Steven Tronet for Auber 93 in 2015.

Now renamed Groupama-FDJ, they kept the race under their control from start to finish, first pulling behind early attackers Alexis Vuillermoz (AG2R-La Mondiale), Damien Gaudin (Direct Energie), Maxime Daniel (Fortuneo-Samsic) and Marc Fournier (Vital Concept). Secondly, they had six riders in the 31-man front group that was formed after 50km of racing, including up and coming climber David Gaudu, who is the replacement for Thibaut Pinot as the team’s climber at the Tour de France next week. The other French WorldTour team AG2R-La Mondiale was also represented by six riders while all eyes were on defending champion Arnaud Démare who was again the hot favourite as it could have been another sprint finish, even in a reduced bunch. But the heat took its toll.

Groupama-FDJ kept Démare’s hopes alive as they maintained the gap at around three minutes. They outnumbered their rivals after half way when the front group split. Gaudu, Valentin Madouas, Romain Seigle and Benjamin Thomas upped the tempo while their teammates stopped pacing the peloton.

Rémi Cavagna (Quick Step Floors) was the first to bridge the gap from the peloton to the escapees with 50km to go. Counter attacks kept going after that. Successively, it brought the likes of Roux, Vichot, Molard (Groupama-FDJ), Warren Barguil (Fortuneo-Samsic), Guillaume Martin (Wanty-Groupe Gobert) and Cyril Gautier (AG2R-La Mondiale) into contention for the blue-white-red jersey.

Molard rode away with Jimmy Turgis (Cofidis) and Johan Le Bon (Vital Concept) but a strong attack from the bunch was launched by Alaphilippe and the other Turgis [Anthony] from Cofidis. Pierre Latour (AG2R-La Mondiale) also came from behind.

There were eventually were six to contest the title: Molard, Roux, Turgis, Martin, Latour and Alaphilippe. Groupama-FDJ were the only team with two riders after Vichot cramped with 6km to go, and Molard sacrificed himself for Roux who won from a very long sprint that he launched 300 metres before the line. The jersey remains in the same camp but Roux isn’t part of the Tour de France team.

Results :
1 Anthony Roux (Fra) Groupama-FDJ 6:04:53
2 Anthony Turgis (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
3 Julian Alaphilippe (Fra) Quick-Step Floors
4 Pierre Latour (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
5 Guillaume Martin (Fra) Wanty-Groupe Gobert 0:00:06
6 Rudy Molard (Fra) Groupama-FDJ 0:00:09
7 Warren Barguil (Fra) Fortuneo-Samsic 0:00:23
8 Thomas Boudat (Fra) Direct Energie 0:00:34
9 Kevin Ledanois (Fra) Fortuneo-Samsic
10 Julien Antomarchi (Fra) Roubaix Lille Metropole
11 Cyril Gautier (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
12 Rémi Cavagna (Fra) Quick-Step Floors
13 Arthur Vichot (Fra) Groupama-FDJ 0:00:46
14 Arnaud Demare (Fra) Groupama-FDJ 0:00:50
15 Nacer Bouhanni (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
16 Damien Touze (Fra) St Michel-Auber 93
17 Christophe Laporte (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
18 Jimmy Turgis (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
19 Maxime Bouet (Fra) Fortuneo-Samsic
20 Yoann Offredo (Fra) Wanty-Groupe Gobert
21 Guillaume Levarlet (Fra) St Michel-Auber 93
22 Samuel Dumoulin (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
23 Anthony Delaplace (Fra) Fortuneo-Samsic 0:00:53
24 Lilian Calmejane (Fra) Direct Energie
25 Kevin Le Cunff (Fra) St Michel-Auber 93
26 Bryan Coquard (Fra) Vital Concept Club 0:00:57
27 Julien Bernard (Fra) Trek-Segafredo 0:00:58
28 Julien Simon (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits 0:01:25
29 Alexis Vuillermoz (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 0:02:01
30 Angelo Tulik (Fra) Direct Energie 0:02:05
31 Sylvain Chavanel (Fra) Direct Energie
32 Anthony Perez (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
33 Jérémy Maison (Fra) Fortuneo-Samsic
34 Olivier Le Gac (Fra) Groupama-FDJ
35 Florian Vachon (Fra) Fortuneo-Samsic
36 Laurent Pichon (Fra) Fortuneo-Samsic
37 Axel Domont (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 0:04:18
38 Valentin Madouas (Fra) Groupama-FDJ 0:04:47
39 Elie Gesbert (Fra) Fortuneo-Samsic
40 Arnaud Courteille (Fra) Vital Concept Club 0:04:49
41 Johan Le Bon (Fra) Vital Concept Club 0:04:51
42 Stéphane Rossetto (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
43 Quentin Pacher (Fra) Vital Concept Club 0:06:18
44 Quentin Jauregui (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 0:07:00
45 François Bidard (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
46 Yohann Gene (Fra) Direct Energie 0:08:12
47 Mickael Delage (Fra) Groupama-FDJ 0:08:55
48 Matthieu Ladagnous (Fra) Groupama-FDJ
49 Paul Ourselin (Fra) Direct Energie
50 Jérémy Leveau (Fra) Delko Marseille Provence KTM
51 Alexandre Pichot (Fra) Direct Energie
52 Adrien Petit (Fra) Direct Energie
53 Lucas De Rossi (Fra) Delko Marseille Provence KTM
54 Nans Peters (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
55 Clement Chevrier (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
56 Hubert Dupont (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
57 Nicolas Edet (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
58 Yoann Bagot (Fra) Vital Concept Club
59 Pierre Luc Perichon (Fra) Fortuneo-Samsic
60 Fabien Grellier (Fra) Direct Energie
61 Steven Tronet (Fra) Roubaix Lille Metropole
62 Romain Sicard (Fra) Direct Energie
63 Dorian Godon (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
64 Damien Gaudin (Fra) Direct Energie
65 Camille Thominet (Fra) St Michel-Auber 93
66 Flavien Maurelet (Fra) St Michel-Auber 93
67 Benoit Cosnefroy (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
68 Benjamin Thomas (Fra) Groupama-FDJ 0:10:00
69 Pierre Gouault (Fra) Roubaix Lille Metropole 0:17:19
70 Thomas Joly (Fra) Roubaix Lille Metropole
71 Christophe Masson (Fra) WB Aqua Protect Veranclassic
DNF Bruno Armirail (Fra) Groupama-FDJ
DNF William Bonnet (Fra) Groupama-FDJ
DNF David Gaudu (Fra) Groupama-FDJ
DNF Jérémy Roy (Fra) Groupama-FDJ
DNF Marc Sarreau (Fra) Groupama-FDJ
DNF Romain Seigle (Fra) Groupama-FDJ
DNF Benoit Vaugrenard (Fra) Groupama-FDJ
DNF Léo Vincent (Fra) Groupama-FDJ
DNF Romain Cardis (Fra) Direct Energie
DNF Jeremy Cornu (Fra) Direct Energie
DNF Jerome Cousin (Fra) Direct Energie
DNF Jonathan Hivert (Fra) Direct Energie
DNF Axel Journiaux (Fra) Direct Energie
DNF Bryan Nauleau (Fra) Direct Energie
DNF Perrig Quemeneur (Fra) Direct Energie
DNF Simon Sellier (Fra) Direct Energie
DNF Rudy Barbier (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
DNF Mikael Cherel (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
DNF Julien Duval (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
DNF Tony Gallopin (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
DNF Alexandre Geniez (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
DNF Alexis Gougeard (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
DNF Clement Venturini (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
DNF Franck Bonnamour (Fra) Fortuneo-Samsic
DNF Maxime Daniel (Fra) Fortuneo-Samsic
DNF Brice Feillu (Fra) Fortuneo-Samsic
DNF Armindo Fonseca (Fra) Fortuneo-Samsic
DNF Romain Hardy (Fra) Fortuneo-Samsic
DNF Benoit Jarrier (Fra) Fortuneo-Samsic
DNF Romain Le Roux (Fra) Fortuneo-Samsic
DNF Amael Moinard (Fra) Fortuneo-Samsic
DNF Clement Russo (Fra) Fortuneo-Samsic
DNF Guillaume Bonnafond (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
DNF Loic Chetout (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
DNF Hugo Hofstetter (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
DNF Mathias Le Turnier (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
DNF Cyril Lemoine (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
DNF Geoffrey Soupe (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
DNF Erwann Corbel (Fra) Vital Concept Club
DNF Corentin Ermenault (Fra) Vital Concept Club
DNF Marc Fournier (Fra) Vital Concept Club
DNF Adrien Garel (Fra) Vital Concept Club
DNF Jérémy Lecroq (Fra) Vital Concept Club
DNF Lorrenzo Manzin (Fra) Vital Concept Club
DNF Julien Morice (Fra) Vital Concept Club
DNF Justin Mottier (Fra) Vital Concept Club
DNF Kevin Reza (Fra) Vital Concept Club
DNF Pierre Barbier (Fra) Roubaix Lille Metropole
DNF Jeremy Cabot (Fra) Roubaix Lille Metropole
DNF Pierre Idjouadiene (Fra) Roubaix Lille Metropole
DNF Morgan Kneisky (Fra) Roubaix Lille Metropole
DNF Samuel Leroux (Fra) Roubaix Lille Metropole
DNF Nicolas Baldo (Fra) St Michel-Auber 93
DNF Romain Feillu (Fra) St Michel-Auber 93
DNF Anthony Maldonado (Fra) St Michel-Auber 93
DNF Yoann Paillot (Fra) St Michel-Auber 93
DNF Romain Combaud (Fra) Delko Marseille Provence KTM
DNF Julien El Fares (Fra) Delko Marseille Provence KTM
DNF Yannick Martinez (Fra) Delko Marseille Provence KTM
DNF Julien Trarieux (Fra) Delko Marseille Provence KTM
DNF Julien Amadori (Fra) Project Nice Cote d’Azur
DNF Hugo Bouguet (Fra) Project Nice Cote d’Azur
DNF Stéphane Cognet (Fra) Project Nice Cote d’Azur
DNF Jérôme Pulidori (Fra) Project Nice Cote d’Azur
DNF Thomas Vaubourzeix (Fra) Project Nice Cote d’Azur
DNF Fabien Doubey (Fra) Wanty-Groupe Gobert
DNF Florian Senechal (Fra) Quick-Step Floors
DNF Justin Jules (Fra) WB Aqua Protect Veranclassic
DNF Pierre Moncorgé (Fra) Memil Ccn Pro Cycling
DNF Yannis Yssaad (Fra) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA
DNF Florian Hudry (Fra) Interpro Stradalli Cycling
DNF Cyril Barthe (Fra) Euskadi Basque Country-Murias
DNF Matthieu Jeannes (Fra) Probaclac/Devinci
DNF Florian Deriaux (Fra) Sovac-Natura4Ever
DNF Corentin Navarro (Fra) Team Wiggins
DNF Arnaud Gerard (Fra) Fortuneo-Samsic
DNS Floryan Arnoult (Fra) Trevigiani Phonix-Hemus 1896