Russian comes through after team-mate is caught close to line
The Katusha team played things perfectly on today’s opening stage of the Circuit Cycliste Sarthe in France, with sprinter Denis Galimzyanov swooping to take the victory after another of its riders, Mikhail Ignatyev, was caught inside the final 500 metres.
Helped by team-mates Maxim Belkov and Pavel Brutt in the final leadout, Galimzyanov beat Sacha Modolo (Conago CSF Bardiani), Juan Jose Haedo (Saxo Bank) and the rest of the peloton to the line in Riaillé.
The victory, his first of the year, earned him the race lead on day one of the four day, five stage 2.1-ranked event.
“Today we did great team work,” said 25 year old Galimzyanov. “We had Ignatyev ahead all day long, but when we saw that the group would catch him, we went ahead to impose our pace and find a good position for the final massive sprint.
“All my teammates worked well, especially Brutt and Belkov, so I have to thank them for my victory. In the last 200 metres I saw Haedo started his rush, so I followed and passed him: then, nobody could reach me and I took a good win. I’m happy about that, because the last straight was a little uphill, so it wasn’t an easy sprint: moreover, I’m not 100% because I’m still recovering from the physical troubles I had in March.”
Modolo went close, but must accept the runner-up spot today. He said that he was disadvantaged by his position coming into the sprint and so in that light, was not too upset by the result he pulled out.
“It’s been a confusing and thrilling sprint, where everyone wanted to win,” he said. “Our Colnago riders were back compared to other trains in the sprint, but somehow we climbed the positions in the last few meters. I could have done better than second place but that’s okay. The condition is there, and tomorrow we will be ready to try again.”
Galimzyanov is however also determined to keep pushing hard, saying that he isn’t happy to take just one success. “My shape is improving and this victory gives me strong motivation and morale,” he said. “In this competition we still have at least two chances for win, and I’ll do my best to take another good result.”
How the race was won:
With the non-participation of Benjamin Noval (Saxo Bank), a total of 106 riders rolled out from Saint Gilles Croix de Vie today for the 192.8 kilometre first stage. They would clash over three climbs, at kilometre 13.4, 64.1 and 96.9, as well as hotspot sprints at kilometre 44.9, 124 and 172.4.
Nine kilometres in, Mikhail Ignatyev (Katusha), Arnaud Courteille (FDJ BigMat) and Kévin Denis (Veranda Rideau U) clipped away and had a fifteen second gap starting the first climb at Apremont. Denis cracked and went backwards, while Courteille led Ignatiev over the top of the hill. Behind, Matthieu Sprick (Argos Shimano) and Mickael Buffaz (Cofidis) were next to the summit.
Benoit Jarrier (Veranda Rideau U) bridged across to the two leaders after seventeen kilometres and together this trio built an ever-increasing lead. It had seven and a half minutes 44 kilometres in, then continued to pull further ahead as Jarrier beat Igantiev and Courteille to take the intermediate sprint at Saint Sulphice le Verdon (km 44.9).
Twelve kilometres later the break reached its maximum of ten minutes ten seconds, after which the work done by teams such as Cofidis started to turn things around.
Courteille took the second climb, that of Pont Légé (km 64.1). Barrier and Ignatiev were next, while Thomas Voecker (Europcar) was first of the chasers.
The trio continued to work hard but had just four minutes when they reached the top of the first category Petit Moriniere climb, 96.9 kilometres after the start. Again, Courteille led them over the top, with Jarrier and Ignatiev second and third. Molard (Cofidis) and his team-mate Valentin were first out of the main bunch.
The leading trio’s persistence saw their lead grow once again and they had seven and a half minutes when they reached Landemont, 110 kilometres after the start and 82.8 from the finish.
The peloton accelerated in response and had lopped two minutes off the lead by the time Jarrier took the second intermediate sprint, fourteen kilometres later. The trio then raced onto the finishing circuit, where they crossed the finish line for the first time with a three minute 40 second advantage. This dropped to two minutes 45 seconds the next time over the finish line, where a solo-attacking Ignatyev took the prime, then continued alone.
Jarrier and Courteille were caught soon afterwards, leaving just the Russian out in front, one minute 45 seconds clear with twenty kilometers remaining. He put the head down and did everything he could to stay out front, but was reeled in inside the final kilometre.
There was still room for celebration by his Katusha team, though, as its sprinter Galimzianov came through for the win, beating Sacha Modolo (Colnago) and Saxo Bank’s JJ Haedo and scooping the first race leader’s jersey.
He’ll aim to defend his position on tomorrow’s second stage, which covers 87.8 kilometres between Riaille and Angers. That will be followed by a 6.8 kilometre time trial, which will likely reshuffle the general classification.