Route d’Occitanie 2018 – Stage 4 [FULL STAGE]

June 17, 2018

Route d’Occitanie 2018 – Stage 4 – Mirepoix – Cazouls-lès-Béziers : 192,7 km

The Route d’Occitanie is a road bicycle race with 4 stages held annually in Southern France. It was first held in 1977 and since 2005 it has been organised as a 2.1 event on the UCI Europe Tour. It is usually held a week before the Tour de France.

Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) sealed final overall victory at Route d’Occitanie after he placed second behind Anthony Roux (Groupama-FDJ) on stage 4 in Cazouls-les-Béziers.

Already overall leader after winning Saturday’s queen stage, Valverde went on the offensive once more on the final leg, attacking in the company of his compatriot Luis Leon Sanchez (Astana) with 68km remaining after the day’s early break had been swept up.

With the category 1 Pic de Nore already behind them, Valverde and Sanchez made light work of the rugged terrain that followed. They had a lead of two minutes when they reached the summit of the category 2 Côte de la Minerve and despite the efforts of Cofidis, they still had 1:50 in hand atop the category 3 Côte de Villespassans.

On the flat run-in to the finish, Cofidis were aided in their pursuit by AG2R La Mondiale, Caja Rural-RGA Seguros and Delko-Marseille, and the Spanish duo’s lead began to fall away in the final 25 kilometres.

Valverde and Sanchez still had 9 seconds at the flamme rouge. Valverde led into the finishing straight, but the reduced bunch sprint was kicking off behind him, and he was overhauled by Roux in the closing metres.

Evaldas Siskevicius (Delko Marseille-Provence KTM) took third on the stage, ahead of Yevgeniy Gidich (Astana) and Kevin Ledanois (Fortuneo-Samsic).

In the overall standings, Valverde won by 14 seconds from Daniel Navarro (Cofidis), while Kenny Elissonde (Team Sky) took third overall at 20 seconds.

Results :
1 Anthony Roux (Fra) Groupama-FDJ 4:37:19
2 Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Movistar Team
3 Evaldas Siskevicius (Ltu) Delko Marseille Provence KTM
4 Yevgeniy Gidich (Kaz) Astana Pro Team
5 Kevin Ledanois (Fra) Fortuneo-Samsic
6 Clement Venturini (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
7 Sergio Andres Higuita Garcia (Col) Manzana Postobon
8 Sylvain Chavanel (Fra) Direct Energie
9 Nicholas Schultz (Aus) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA
10 Kevin Le Cunff (Fra) St Michel-Auber 93
11 Yoann Offredo (Fra) Wanty-Groupe Gobert
12 Angel Madrazo Ruiz (Spa) Delko Marseille Provence KTM
13 Ricardo Vilela (Por) Manzana Postobon
14 Antonio Molina Canet (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA
15 Daniel Navarro Garcia (Spa) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
16 Carlos Barbero (Spa) Movistar Team
17 Fabien Doubey (Fra) Wanty-Groupe Gobert
18 Valentin Madouas (Fra) Groupama-FDJ
19 Georg Preidler (Aut) Groupama-FDJ
20 Luis Angel Mate Mardones (Spa) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
21 Sergei Chernetski (Rus) Astana Pro Team
22 Alexis Vuillermoz (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
23 Mikel Iturria Segurola (Spa) Euskadi Basque Country-Murias
24 Mikel Bizkarra Etxegibel (Spa) Euskadi Basque Country-Murias
25 Ruben Fernandez (Spa) Movistar Team
26 Jérémy Maison (Fra) Fortuneo-Samsic
27 Kenny Elissonde (Fra) Team Sky
28 Sébastien Reichenbach (Swi) Groupama-FDJ
29 Hubert Dupont (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
30 Brice Feillu (Fra) Fortuneo-Samsic
31 Romain Combaud (Fra) Delko Marseille Provence KTM
32 Mauro Finetto (Ita) Delko Marseille Provence KTM
33 Eduardo Sepulveda (Arg) Movistar Team
34 Thomas Joly (Fra) Roubaix Lille Metropole
35 Antonio Pedrero (Spa) Movistar Team
36 Luis León Sanchez (Spa) Astana Pro Team 0:00:07
37 Quentin Jauregui (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 0:00:15
38 Sindre Skjøstad Lunke (Nor) Fortuneo-Samsic 0:00:55
39 Jonathan Lastra Martinez (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA
40 Bernardo Albeiro Suaza Arango (Col) Manzana Postobon 0:01:21
41 Beñat Txoperena Matxikote (Spa) Euskadi Basque Country-Murias 0:01:22
42 Javier Moreno Bazan (Spa) Delko Marseille Provence KTM
43 Anthony Perez (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
44 Johan Le Bon (Fra) Vital Concept Club 0:02:12
45 Philip Deignan (Irl) Team Sky 0:02:26
46 Oscar Rodriguez Garaicoechea (Spa) Euskadi Basque Country-Murias 0:02:38
47 Jérémy Leveau (Fra) Delko Marseille Provence KTM
48 Bakhtiyar Kozhatayev (Kaz) Astana Pro Team 0:03:10
49 Cristian Rodriguez Martin (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA 0:03:39
50 Bryan Coquard (Fra) Vital Concept Club 0:03:59
51 Garikoitz Bravo Oiarbide (Spa) Euskadi Basque Country-Murias 0:07:52
52 Benoit Cosnefroy (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 0:08:47
53 Leonardo Basso (Ita) Team Sky 0:14:10
54 Mathias Le Turnier (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits 0:14:57
55 Jerome Cousin (Fra) Direct Energie 0:17:54
56 Joaquim Silva (Por) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA 0:19:07
57 Kevin Reza (Fra) Vital Concept Club
58 Yohann Gene (Fra) Direct Energie
59 Camille Thominet (Fra) St Michel-Auber 93
60 Flavien Maurelet (Fra) St Michel-Auber 93
61 Jhojan Orlando Garcia Sosa (Col) Manzana Postobon
62 Salim Kipkemboi (Ken) Bike Aid
63 Moreno Moser (Ita) Astana Pro Team
64 Nacer Bouhanni (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits 0:19:17
65 Christopher Lawless (GBr) Team Sky
66 Jerome Mainard (Fra) Roubaix Lille Metropole
67 Nuno Bico (Por) Movistar Team
68 Suleiman Kangangi (Ken) Bike Aid
69 Julien Amadori (Fra) Project Nice Cote d’Azur 0:19:19
70 Geoffrey Kiprotich Langat (Ken) Bike Aid
71 Franck Bonnamour (Fra) Fortuneo-Samsic
72 Tom Dernies (Bel) Roubaix Lille Metropole
73 Fabio Duarte (Col) Manzana Postobon
74 Meron Abraham (Eri) Bike Aid
75 Damien Gaudin (Fra) Direct Energie
76 Simon Antonini (Ita) Wanty-Groupe Gobert
77 Romain Seigle (Fra) Groupama-FDJ
78 Sergio Samitier Samitier (Spa) Euskadi Basque Country-Murias
79 Pierre Gouault (Fra) Roubaix Lille Metropole
80 Yoann Bagot (Fra) Vital Concept Club
81 Zhandos Bizhigitov (Kaz) Astana Pro Team
82 Adrien Petit (Fra) Direct Energie
83 Hernan Ricardo Aguirre Caipa (Col) Manzana Postobon
84 Nikita Stalnov (Kaz) Astana Pro Team
DNF Jonathan Dibben (GBr) Team Sky
DNF David Lopez Garcia (Spa) Team Sky
DNF Josu Zabala Lopez (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA
DNF Stéphane Rossetto (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
DNF Jérémy Roy (Fra) Groupama-FDJ
DNF Alexandre Pichot (Fra) Direct Energie
DNF Julien Antomarchi (Fra) Roubaix Lille Metropole
DNF Pierre Idjouadiene (Fra) Roubaix Lille Metropole
DNF Steven Tronet (Fra) Roubaix Lille Metropole
DNF Nicolas Baldo (Fra) St Michel-Auber 93
DNF Erwann Corbel (Fra) Vital Concept Club
DNF Stéphane Cognet (Fra) Project Nice Cote d’Azur

Final General Classification:
1 Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Movistar Team 18:25:34
2 Daniel Navarro Garcia (Spa) Cofidis, Solutions Credits 0:00:14
3 Kenny Elissonde (Fra) Team Sky 0:00:20
4 Sébastien Reichenbach (Swi) Groupama-FDJ 0:01:22
5 Luis León Sanchez (Spa) Astana Pro Team 0:01:24
6 Antonio Molina Canet (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA
7 Hubert Dupont (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 0:01:27
8 Valentin Madouas (Fra) Groupama-FDJ 0:01:50
9 Ricardo Vilela (Por) Manzana Postobon 0:02:07
10 Georg Preidler (Aut) Groupama-FDJ 0:02:08
11 Ruben Fernandez (Spa) Movistar Team 0:02:20
12 Sergei Chernetski (Rus) Astana Pro Team 0:02:26
13 Thomas Joly (Fra) Roubaix Lille Metropole 0:02:56
14 Yevgeniy Gidich (Kaz) Astana Pro Team 0:03:08
15 Sindre Skjøstad Lunke (Nor) Fortuneo-Samsic
16 Alexis Vuillermoz (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 0:03:25
17 Brice Feillu (Fra) Fortuneo-Samsic 0:03:28
18 Javier Moreno Bazan (Spa) Delko Marseille Provence KTM 0:05:23
19 Mikel Iturria Segurola (Spa) Euskadi Basque Country-Murias 0:06:11
20 Angel Madrazo Ruiz (Spa) Delko Marseille Provence KTM 0:06:37
21 Kevin Ledanois (Fra) Fortuneo-Samsic 0:06:59
22 Jérémy Maison (Fra) Fortuneo-Samsic
23 Kevin Le Cunff (Fra) St Michel-Auber 93 0:07:33
24 Yoann Offredo (Fra) Wanty-Groupe Gobert
25 Romain Combaud (Fra) Delko Marseille Provence KTM 0:08:02
26 Sergio Andres Higuita Garcia (Col) Manzana Postobon 0:08:09
27 Mikel Bizkarra Etxegibel (Spa) Euskadi Basque Country-Murias 0:09:57
28 Antonio Pedrero (Spa) Movistar Team 0:10:11
29 Anthony Roux (Fra) Groupama-FDJ 0:11:53
30 Mauro Finetto (Ita) Delko Marseille Provence KTM 0:12:26
31 Cristian Rodriguez Martin (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA 0:13:01
32 Sylvain Chavanel (Fra) Direct Energie 0:13:37
33 Nicholas Schultz (Aus) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA 0:14:02
34 Luis Angel Mate Mardones (Spa) Cofidis, Solutions Credits 0:14:30
35 Philip Deignan (Irl) Team Sky 0:16:03
36 Eduardo Sepulveda (Arg) Movistar Team 0:17:21
37 Fabien Doubey (Fra) Wanty-Groupe Gobert 0:17:33
38 Anthony Perez (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
39 Clement Venturini (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 0:19:09
40 Mathias Le Turnier (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits 0:22:13
41 Bernardo Albeiro Suaza Arango (Col) Manzana Postobon 0:22:26
42 Garikoitz Bravo Oiarbide (Spa) Euskadi Basque Country-Murias 0:23:56
43 Quentin Jauregui (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 0:23:59
44 Bakhtiyar Kozhatayev (Kaz) Astana Pro Team 0:26:31
45 Oscar Rodriguez Garaicoechea (Spa) Euskadi Basque Country-Murias 0:27:11
46 Beñat Txoperena Matxikote (Spa) Euskadi Basque Country-Murias 0:27:37
47 Jhojan Orlando Garcia Sosa (Col) Manzana Postobon 0:27:51
48 Jérémy Leveau (Fra) Delko Marseille Provence KTM 0:28:07
49 Johan Le Bon (Fra) Vital Concept Club 0:29:10
50 Evaldas Siskevicius (Ltu) Delko Marseille Provence KTM 0:29:38
51 Yoann Bagot (Fra) Vital Concept Club 0:29:40
52 Joaquim Silva (Por) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA 0:30:05
53 Flavien Maurelet (Fra) St Michel-Auber 93 0:31:20
54 Camille Thominet (Fra) St Michel-Auber 93 0:32:44
55 Pierre Gouault (Fra) Roubaix Lille Metropole 0:32:56
56 Salim Kipkemboi (Ken) Bike Aid 0:33:06
57 Hernan Ricardo Aguirre Caipa (Col) Manzana Postobon 0:34:54
58 Damien Gaudin (Fra) Direct Energie 0:36:23
59 Romain Seigle (Fra) Groupama-FDJ 0:36:24
60 Julien Amadori (Fra) Project Nice Cote d’Azur 0:36:45
61 Zhandos Bizhigitov (Kaz) Astana Pro Team
62 Sergio Samitier Samitier (Spa) Euskadi Basque Country-Murias 0:36:52
63 Jerome Mainard (Fra) Roubaix Lille Metropole 0:37:06
64 Franck Bonnamour (Fra) Fortuneo-Samsic 0:38:02
65 Bryan Coquard (Fra) Vital Concept Club 0:38:11
66 Moreno Moser (Ita) Astana Pro Team 0:39:51
67 Adrien Petit (Fra) Direct Energie 0:40:17
68 Carlos Barbero (Spa) Movistar Team 0:40:41
69 Jonathan Lastra Martinez (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA 0:41:40
70 Benoit Cosnefroy (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 0:42:48
71 Nikita Stalnov (Kaz) Astana Pro Team 0:43:29
72 Nacer Bouhanni (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits 0:44:11
73 Simon Antonini (Ita) Wanty-Groupe Gobert 0:45:21
74 Yohann Gene (Fra) Direct Energie 0:47:18
75 Suleiman Kangangi (Ken) Bike Aid 0:51:02
76 Jerome Cousin (Fra) Direct Energie 0:54:51
77 Leonardo Basso (Ita) Team Sky 0:58:44
78 Geoffrey Kiprotich Langat (Ken) Bike Aid 0:59:36
79 Nuno Bico (Por) Movistar Team 1:00:01
80 Christopher Lawless (GBr) Team Sky 1:00:02
81 Kevin Reza (Fra) Vital Concept Club 1:00:23
82 Fabio Duarte (Col) Manzana Postobon 1:02:01
83 Meron Abraham (Eri) Bike Aid 1:16:03
84 Tom Dernies (Bel) Roubaix Lille Metropole 1:16:09