Tour du Poitou-Charentes

Stage 1: Chalais to Royan, 186.3km/116mi

By Cathy Mehl

Team RadioShack’s Yaroslav Popovych was part of a 15-rider break that went clear after 20km of riding in the opening stage of the Tour du Poitou-Charentes on Tuesday.  The strong breakaway held more than two minutes to the main field but was gradually coming down as they approached the finish in Royan.  With only 30-seconds left to their advantage with 10km to go, four of the riders attacked the break in an effort to ward off the hard-charging peloton.  Anthony Roux (FdJ) was the last one standing from the original break, but the young Frenchman just held off the pack to take the stage victory and first leader’s jersey as well.

Team RadioShack riders all came in with the front group with the exception of Popo.  His big efforts in the day-long break brought him to the line a few minutes down.  Fumy Beppu took 13th on the sprint and is currently the best-placed Team rider.

Stage 2 on Wednesday is 178.5km from Satin Georges De Didonne to Niort. 

Top Ten Results

1              Anthony Roux (Fra) Francaise des Jeux                  4:24:57                   

2              Daniele Colli (Ita) Ceramica Flaminia                         

3              Romain Lemarchand (Fra) Big Mat - Auber 93                       

4              Florian Vachon (Fra) Bretagne - Schuller                                 

5              Jost Van Leijen (Ned) Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team                           

6              Enrico Rossi (Ita) Ceramica Flaminia                          

7              Tony Hurel (Fra) Bbox-Bouygues Telecom                             

8              Wout Poels (Ned) Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team                                  

9              Fabien Bacquet (Fra) Big Mat - Auber 93                                 

10           Alexander Kristoff (Nor) BMC Racing Team

Team RadioShack Results

13           Fumiyuki Beppu (Jpn)

55           Haimar Zubeldia Aguirre (Spa)

61           Markel Irizar Aranburu (Spa)

72           Geoffroy Lequatre (Fra)

99          Jesse Sergent (NZl)

108         Sergio Miguel Moreira Paulinho (Por)

121         José Luis Rubiera Vigil (Spa)

126         Yaroslav Popovych (Ukr) 0:04:37

General Classification after Stage 1

1              Anthony Roux (Fra) Francaise des Jeux                  4:24:42                   

2              Daniele Colli (Ita) Ceramica Flaminia        0:00:09  

3              Romain Lemarchand (Fra) Big Mat - Auber 93      0:00:11  

4              Alessandro Donati (Ita) Acqua & Sapone                                

5              Jost Van Leijen (Ned) Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team          0:00:12  

6              Cyril Gautier (Fra) Bbox Bouygues Telecom          0:00:13  

7              Romain Matheou (Fra) Saur - Sojasun    0:00:14  

8              Florian Vachon (Fra) Bretagne - Schuller                0:00:15  

9              Enrico Rossi (Ita) Ceramica Flaminia                          

10           Tony Hurel (Fra) Bbox-Bouygues Telecom

Team RadioShack on General Classification

16           Fumiyuki Beppu (Jpn)

55           Haimar Zubeldia Aguirre (Spa)

61           Markel Irizar Aranburu (Spa)

72           Geoffroy Lequatre (Fra)

99          Jesse Sergent (NZl)

108         Sergio Miguel Moreira Paulinho (Por)

121         José Luis Rubiera Vigil (Spa)

125         Yaroslav Popovych (Ukr) 0:04:49