Sprint final etape 1Le sprint final : Bryan Coquard vainqueur !
Posted by Etoile de Bessèges on Wednesday, 3 February 2016
Bryan Coquard (Direct Energie) wins the opening stage in France where the two Irish riders in the race did very well.
Connor McConvey has made a strong start to his 2016 campaign; coming home in the same time as the winner on the opening stage of Etoile de Besseges in France.
His compatriot and An Post-Chainreaction team mate Damien Shaw, making his debut at this level, also showed he could live with the pace on the five-day UCI 2.1 ranked event.
And while he lost some time during a cold day on the Continent, his deficit of just over one minute on winner and race leader Bryan Coquard (Direct Energie) was more than respectable.
Shaw was also forced to change bikes during the 156km leg from Bellegarde to Beaucaire; an unwelcome development on his first day at pro school.
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McConvey has every reason to be happy after his ride on a day when constant splits and regrouping saw some tough racing, with one third of the 150-field losing time.
The big man from Belfast was also attentive at the finish.
And with strong legs he was able to play his part in leading out team mate Nicolas Vereecken who took 10th in the sprint that settled the honours.
In the end McConvey, returning to Sean Kelly’s team for another season when many in Irish cycling feel he can do some serious damage, rolled over the line in 25th place.
Thursday’s stage 2 takes the riders 153km Nimes to Mejannes le Clap, with a cat 2 ascent that should suit McConvey just over 40kms from the finish.
We’ll have a word with both Irishmen a little later.
Feb 3rd-7th: Etoile de Besseges
Stage 1: Bellegarde to Beaucaire (156km)
1 Bryan Coquard (Fra) Direct Energie 3:25:28
2 Timothy Dupont (Bel) Veranda's Willems 0:00:04
3 Antoine Demoitie (Bel) Wanty - Groupe Gobert 0:00:06
4 Tony Gallopin (Fra) Lotto Soudal 0:00:07
5 Sean De Bie (Bel) Lotto Soudal 0:00:09
6 Rudy Barbier (Fra) Roubaix Metropole Europeenne de Lille 0:00:10
7 Baptiste Planckaert (Bel) Wallonie Bruxelles - Group Protect
8 Bert Van Lerberghe (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise
9 Anthony Maldonado (Fra) HP-BTP Auber 93
10 Justin Jules (Fra) Veranclassic - AGO
11 Arnaud Demare (Fra) FDJ
12 Nicolas Vereecken (Bel) An Post - ChainReaction
13 Dries De Bondt (Bel) Veranda's Willems
14 Mickael Delage (Fra) FDJ
15 Adrien Petit (Fra) Direct Energie
16 Carlos Barbero (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA
17 Matteo Pelucchi (Ita) IAM Cycling
18 Anthony Turgis (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
19 Louis Verhelst (Bel) Roubaix Metropole Europeenne de Lille
20 Sondre Holst Enger (Nor) IAM Cycling
21 Dylan Page (Swi) Team Roth
22 Angelo Tulik (Fra) Direct Energie
23 Mikel Aristi (Spa) Delko Marseille Provence KTM
24 Jonas Rickaert (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise
25 Connor Mc Convey (Irl) An Post - ChainReaction
125 Damien Shaw (Irl) An Post - ChainReaction 0:01:24
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