2011 Paris–Tours
Encyclopedia
The 2011 Paris–Tours was the 105th edition of this single day road bicycle racing
event. Greg Van Avermaet
outsprinted Marco Marcato
in the final meters to stay out of the grip of the chasing group and peloton. Van Avermaet thereby won the biggest race of his career so far.
led to the organisers shortening the finishing straight by 2.4km. The new finish led to suggestions that the traditional sprint finish could be hampered, as there would be less time for the peloton to chase down any breakaways after the final climb.
, fresh off his world road race title in Copenhagen, reigning champion Óscar Freire
, 2007 winner Alessandro Petacchi
and Romain Feillu
were considered favourites. 2008 and 2009 champion Philippe Gilbert
was enjoying a successful season, being ranked first in the UCI World Tour rankings and looking to claim his 19th victory of the season. Despite not being a sprinter, the changes to the route were suggested as being to his advantage – the final climb of the Côte de l’Epan seven kilometres from the end, followed by a winding descent from the climb and a shorter run-in on the Avenue de Grammont were mentioned as various factors which could prevent the traditional sprint finish. Other candidates for a breakaway victory were Sylvain Chavanel
, Thomas Voeckler
and Frédéric Guesdon
.
amid wet and windy conditions, which led to suggestions that the race was less likely to end in a sprint finish. The early breakaway of the day was soon formed, and composed of seven riders: Rubens Bertogliati
, David Boucher
, Will Clarke
, Sébastien Delfosse , Jurgen Van Goolen
, Andreas Klier
and Rony Martias
. The group were allowed a gap of over 11 minutes before the peloton began working to reduce the gap, and it was caught shortly after the 170 kilometre mark. But no sooner had it been caught than several riders seized the opportunity to attack – a group of 14 including Greg Van Avermaet
, László Bodrogi
, Mickaël Delage
, Arnaud Gérard
, Kasper Klostergaard
, Marco Marcato
and Ian Stannard
managed to create a gap to the peloton. The lead grew to around two minutes before HTC-Highroad began the chase to set up a sprint finish, but the breakaway riders were able to cooperate and keep the peloton at bay. After Cavendish began feeling fatigued, HTC gave up the chase. The gap remained steady until 19 kilometres from the end, when a group led by Philippe Gilbert
split from the main pack. Despite creating a small gap, they did not manage to catch up to the leading breakaway of the day and were eventually reeled back in by the peloton. Sylvain Chavanel
also tried his luck but struggled to pull away.
The first move from the leaders came from Gérard, 14 kilometres out, and he stayed away on his own for a time. Van Avermaet and Marcato made a joint move in the final ten kilometres; working together they caught and passed the Frenchman on the final climb of the Côte de l'Epan. The two pulled away from the rest of their breakaway companions, despite Delage's efforts to bring teammate Gérard back into contact with them. Klostergaard attacked the remainder of the breakaway with two kilometres to go and created a gap, but was unable to catch up with the two leaders. With one kilometre left the group of two held an advantage of 20 seconds, and were left to sprint against each other for the victory. Marcato began his sprint first, with Van Avermaet on his wheel, but quickly slowed after his leg cramped up. Van Avermaet sprinted past him to take the victory, his 4th of the season. Marcato finished two seconds back, with Klostergaard holding off Stannard and Bodrogi for third. The rest of the top ten was rounded out by other members of the telling 14-man breakaway, while the peloton came home over a minute down.
Road bicycle racing
Road bicycle racing is a bicycle racing sport held on roads, using racing bicycles. The term "road racing" is usually applied to events where competing riders start simultaneously with the winner being the first to the line at the end of the course .Historically, the most...
event. Greg Van Avermaet
Greg Van Avermaet
Greg Van Avermaet is a Belgian professional road bicycle racer, currently riding for UCI ProTeam .- Palmarès :2006Greg Van Avermaet is a Belgian professional road bicycle racer, currently riding for UCI ProTeam .- Palmarès :2006Greg Van Avermaet is a Belgian professional road bicycle racer,...
outsprinted Marco Marcato
Marco Marcato
Marco Marcato is an Italian racing cyclist currently riding for .- Palmares :200520062007...
in the final meters to stay out of the grip of the chasing group and peloton. Van Avermaet thereby won the biggest race of his career so far.
Course
The course saw the introduction of a new finale; the construction of a tram line on the Avenue de Grammont in central ToursTours
Tours is a city in central France, the capital of the Indre-et-Loire department.It is located on the lower reaches of the river Loire, between Orléans and the Atlantic coast. Touraine, the region around Tours, is known for its wines, the alleged perfection of its local spoken French, and for the...
led to the organisers shortening the finishing straight by 2.4km. The new finish led to suggestions that the traditional sprint finish could be hampered, as there would be less time for the peloton to chase down any breakaways after the final climb.
Pre-race favourites
Given the race's status as the "Sprinters' Classic", several sprinters were named among the favourites. Among them, Mark CavendishMark Cavendish
Mark Cavendish MBE is a Manx professional road racing cyclist who rides for UCI ProTeam until the end of this season when the team is dissolved. He will join Team Sky at the start of the 2012 season...
, fresh off his world road race title in Copenhagen, reigning champion Óscar Freire
Óscar Freire
Óscar Freire Gómez is a Spanish professional road bicycle racer, riding for the UCI ProTeam Rabobank. He is one of the top sprinters in road bicycle racing, having won the world championship a three times, equalling Alfredo Binda, Rik Van Steenbergen and Eddy Merckx...
, 2007 winner Alessandro Petacchi
Alessandro Petacchi
Alessandro Petacchi is an Italian professional road racing cyclist for .A specialist sprinter, Petacchi has won 51 grand tour stages with wins of the points jersey in the Giro d'Italia in 2004, the Vuelta a España in 2005 and the Tour de France in 2010.In 2007 Alessandro was banned from cycling...
and Romain Feillu
Romain Feillu
Romain Feillu is a French road racing cyclist who rides for UCI ProTeam . He is the older brother of Brice Feillu, who is also a road racing cyclist....
were considered favourites. 2008 and 2009 champion Philippe Gilbert
Philippe Gilbert
Philippe Gilbert is a Belgian professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTour team . Gilbert is a classics specialist...
was enjoying a successful season, being ranked first in the UCI World Tour rankings and looking to claim his 19th victory of the season. Despite not being a sprinter, the changes to the route were suggested as being to his advantage – the final climb of the Côte de l’Epan seven kilometres from the end, followed by a winding descent from the climb and a shorter run-in on the Avenue de Grammont were mentioned as various factors which could prevent the traditional sprint finish. Other candidates for a breakaway victory were Sylvain Chavanel
Sylvain Chavanel
Sylvain Chavanel Albira is a French professional road bicycle racer. His brother Sébastien Chavanel is also a cyclist.Chavanel started his professional career in 2000 with Jean-René Bernaudeau's team Bonjour, which became Brioches La Boulangère in 2003...
, Thomas Voeckler
Thomas Voeckler
Thomas Voeckler is a French professional road racing cyclist who rides for the cycling team.- Biography :Voeckler has been a professional cyclist since 2001. He rides for , formerly known as Bbox Bouygues Telecom, Bouygues Télécom, Brioches la Boulangère, and Bonjour...
and Frédéric Guesdon
Frédéric Guesdon
Frédéric Guesdon is a French professional road bicycle racer for UCI Professional Continental team .Guesdon was born in Saint-Méen-le-Grand, Brittany. He turned professional in 1995 with the French Le Groupement team and moved on to the Polti team in 1996, where he scored eleventh place at...
.
Race
The race departed from VovesVoves
Voves is a commune in the Eure-et-Loir department in northern France.-Population:-References:*...
amid wet and windy conditions, which led to suggestions that the race was less likely to end in a sprint finish. The early breakaway of the day was soon formed, and composed of seven riders: Rubens Bertogliati
Rubens Bertogliati
Rubens Bertogliati is a Swiss road racing cyclist, whose breakthrough came in the 2002 Tour de France, when he was riding for the Italian team. Currently he rides for ....
, David Boucher
David Boucher
David Boucher is a professional French road cyclist, currently riding for Omega Pharma-Lotto.-Palmarès:2004200520092010-References:* at Omega Pharma-Lotto...
, Will Clarke
Will Clarke (cyclist)
William Clarke is a professional Australian road cyclist, currently riding for Leopard Trek.-Palmarès:20092010-References:* at Leopard Trek...
, Sébastien Delfosse , Jurgen Van Goolen
Jurgen Van Goolen
Jurgen Van Goolen , is a Belgian professional road bicycle racer for UCI Professional Continental team . He has raced and completed the Vuelta a España three times serving mostly as a domestique...
, Andreas Klier
Andreas Klier
Andreas Klier is a German professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTeam .-Palmares:1996200220032005-External links:...
and Rony Martias
Rony Martias
Rony Martias is a French professional road bicycle racer for UCI Professional Continental team .- Career highlights :20022003200520062008...
. The group were allowed a gap of over 11 minutes before the peloton began working to reduce the gap, and it was caught shortly after the 170 kilometre mark. But no sooner had it been caught than several riders seized the opportunity to attack – a group of 14 including Greg Van Avermaet
Greg Van Avermaet
Greg Van Avermaet is a Belgian professional road bicycle racer, currently riding for UCI ProTeam .- Palmarès :2006Greg Van Avermaet is a Belgian professional road bicycle racer, currently riding for UCI ProTeam .- Palmarès :2006Greg Van Avermaet is a Belgian professional road bicycle racer,...
, László Bodrogi
László Bodrogi
László Bodrogi is a professional road bicycle racer from Hungary riding for , specializing in the individual time trial.- Biography :László was born in 1976 in Budapest, Hungary...
, Mickaël Delage
Mickaël Delage
Mickaël Delage is a French professional racing cyclist. He rides for . He is also active as a track cyclist.As a junior he participated at the World Championships in track cycling in Moscow 2003, where he won the silver medal at the points race, after Australian Miles Olman...
, Arnaud Gérard
Arnaud Gérard
Arnaud Gérard is a French professional road bicycle racer for UCI Professional Continental team - Palmarès :* Paris-Tours - 10th * Combative Rider for Stage 12, Tour de France...
, Kasper Klostergaard
Kasper Klostergaard
Kasper Klostergaard Larsen is a Danish professional road racing cyclist, riding for Danish based . In the last part of the 2005 season, the then Glud & Marstrand Horsens rider was taken aboard Team CSC, as the team was then known, as a stagiaire, and was on the hard-working team that helped Lars...
, Marco Marcato
Marco Marcato
Marco Marcato is an Italian racing cyclist currently riding for .- Palmares :200520062007...
and Ian Stannard
Ian Stannard
Ian Stannard is an English track and road racing cyclist for UCI ProTour team . He made his professional road debut in August 2007 joining as a trainee. He rode for Landbouwkrediet-Tönissteiner in 2008 and came third overall in the 2008 Tour of Britain riding for the Great Britain team...
managed to create a gap to the peloton. The lead grew to around two minutes before HTC-Highroad began the chase to set up a sprint finish, but the breakaway riders were able to cooperate and keep the peloton at bay. After Cavendish began feeling fatigued, HTC gave up the chase. The gap remained steady until 19 kilometres from the end, when a group led by Philippe Gilbert
Philippe Gilbert
Philippe Gilbert is a Belgian professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTour team . Gilbert is a classics specialist...
split from the main pack. Despite creating a small gap, they did not manage to catch up to the leading breakaway of the day and were eventually reeled back in by the peloton. Sylvain Chavanel
Sylvain Chavanel
Sylvain Chavanel Albira is a French professional road bicycle racer. His brother Sébastien Chavanel is also a cyclist.Chavanel started his professional career in 2000 with Jean-René Bernaudeau's team Bonjour, which became Brioches La Boulangère in 2003...
also tried his luck but struggled to pull away.
The first move from the leaders came from Gérard, 14 kilometres out, and he stayed away on his own for a time. Van Avermaet and Marcato made a joint move in the final ten kilometres; working together they caught and passed the Frenchman on the final climb of the Côte de l'Epan. The two pulled away from the rest of their breakaway companions, despite Delage's efforts to bring teammate Gérard back into contact with them. Klostergaard attacked the remainder of the breakaway with two kilometres to go and created a gap, but was unable to catch up with the two leaders. With one kilometre left the group of two held an advantage of 20 seconds, and were left to sprint against each other for the victory. Marcato began his sprint first, with Van Avermaet on his wheel, but quickly slowed after his leg cramped up. Van Avermaet sprinted past him to take the victory, his 4th of the season. Marcato finished two seconds back, with Klostergaard holding off Stannard and Bodrogi for third. The rest of the top ten was rounded out by other members of the telling 14-man breakaway, while the peloton came home over a minute down.
General standings
| Cyclist | Team | Time | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ' | 5h 21' 43" | |
| 2 | + 2" | ||
| 3 | + 15" | ||
| 4 | + 15" | ||
| 5 | + 15" | ||
| 6 | + 22" | ||
| 7 | + 22" | ||
| 8 | + 22" | ||
| 9 | + 22" | ||
| 10 | + 26" |