Bernaudeau Junior 2014 Race Report

Frenchman Théo Nicolas (Argenteuil Val de Seine 95) have won the 21st edition of Bernaudeau Junior after two men sprint against Cyril Bordes.

Théo Nicolas

The winner was a part of the break of the day that went clear at the beginning of the day. Together with him there were Maurits De Wall (Willebrord Wil Vooruit), Jérémy Reulland (Morbihan), Théodore Duriez (CC Cambrésien) and Florian Maitre (VCA Saint-Quentin).

After around 50 kilometers the five leaders had 1'35" adavantage on the main group which was shattered because of two big crash in the main field. Fifty riders were deleyed. Once the race went through the hilly part of the event the peleton splitted even more, into five groups and we had a counter attack of two riders: Julien Mortier (Team Wallonie) and Sylvain Montana (Olympique Cycliste du Val d'Oise).

The leaders increased the gap over the main group to 1'50" and Maurits De Wall was dropped from the front group. Numerous attack happened in the hilly part, one of the were formed by three: Pieterjan Delerue (Zanatta Lotto Cycling Team Menen) and the duo from Avia Crabbé CT: Simon Daniels and Jari Snyers. Another attack was made by Maxance Bonjean (Pôle Cyclisme Rhône-Alpes Saint-Etienne) and Martin Palm (Team Wallonie) who had 15 seconds advantage on the bunch. The duo managed to join the leaders so we had six in the lead at the moment.

Once the race have reached the finish line for the first time we had 40 riders in the main group. After that the counter attack of fifteen riders went clear including the future winner Nicolas. The lead group increased the gap up to 50 seconds. Two riders decided to attack from the leading group and it was the winning move of Nicolas and Bordes. Martin Palm came third after the group behind two leaders splitted and riders were soloing to the finish.

Full results:

After pretty solid ride in Kuurne Bruxelles Kuurne (19th place) Théo Nicolas grabbed his first big win. Also worth mentioning another decent place by Charlie Arimont. After being 11th in KBK and 2nd in GP Andre Noyelle the young Belgian came 4th in Bernaudeau. Time for big win now ? We will see.

Bernaudeau Junior 2014 preview

After two events in Belgium, top juniors are moving to Vendée region in France for the Bernaudeau Junior (named from the owner of Europcar Team, Jean-Marie Bernaudeu) , another one day race of the season.

The is 125km long event between Le Poiré/Vie and St Maurice le Girad. After pretty flat 50km the race goes to the hilly part of the event that include few short climbs appearing one after another. After that the race never gets flat again with up and down routes all the way to St Maurice where, after 95km of racing, riders will start the four loops around the city with the last few hundreds meters being slightly uphill.

Map & profile:

Final circuit:

Race webstite: http://bernaudeaujunior.free.fr/

Startlist: Startlist 2014

Race fanpage: facebook

Twitter: https://twitter.com/RVC85

GP André Noyelle 2014 Race Report

Dutch rider, Mitchel Cornelisse (Wilton CT) have won the 13th GP André Noyelle in the sprint of 10 riders, ahead of duo from Beglium: Charlie Arimont (CT Young) and Brent Briesen (Davo CT).

Here’s the little preview of the race and report: 

Preview

 Two weeks after the season opener, Kuurne-Bruxelles-Kuurne, Belgium welcomed the best juniors again with second event of the uci calendar, 13th GP André Noyelle (1.1). 95,7 kilometers race features similar route to the KBK with 8th heiligen during the course through the Region Heuvelland with famous Kemmelberg in the middle of the race. 

Full list of the climbs and profile:

KM 17 - Scherpenberg 

KM 26 - Baneberg

KM 27 - Rodeberg

KM 40 - Kraaiberg

KM 42 - Mesenberg

KM 50 - Kemmelberg

KM 54 - Zavelaar

KM 60 - Kroonaard

Past winners:

1997 Stijn Devolder

1998 Goris Gardeyn

1999: Dirk Bullen

2000 Steven Vanden Bussche

2001 Kristof De Beule

2002 Wim Packet

2003: Gianni Meersman

2004 Nikolas Maes

2005: Ian Stannard

2006: Fabrice Naert

2007: Thomas Chamon

2008: Nicolas Vereecken

2009 Sjors Roosen

2010: Ruben Boons

2011: Daan Myngheer

2012: Maxime Farazijn

2013: André Looij

Race Report

 The race started in the city of Ieper (where the finish was held either) with a lots of attack right after the start.

 After twenty kilometers of the race the break of the day finally went clear. Attack of four riders: Steven Kreder (Willebrord Wil Vooruit), Jordi Warlop (Tieltse Rennersclub), Bram Welten (TWC Pijnenburg) and one of the “juniors to watch in 2014” Emiel Planckaert (Avia Crabbe). After the first climb, Scherpenberg, the leaders had 25” over the big peleton.

 Selective course coued big damages in the group and with 71km to go we had our four leaders 32” ahead of the first group with around 35 riders and 48” on the second group. The second group were left behind even more at the decent of Kemmelberg. In addition, Jordi van Dingen, who was fourth in KBK was left in the second group.

 Numbers of attacks were on during the hills reduced the main group to fourty riders. With 25km to go Brent Briesen (Davo) had 25” lead but later he was joined by two: Bram Welten (TWC Pijnenburg) and Charlie Arimont (Young Cycling Team). With 15km to go the leading three were joined by another goup and we had ten leaders: Welten (TWC Pijnenburg) Dendievel (Wasquehal) Warlop (Tielse Rennersclub) Castrique (Zannata) Arimont (Youth CT), Cornelisse (Wilton CT) Plovie (Avia) Relaes (DMC ) Briesen (Davo) and Boons (Balen BC).

 With just 9km to go the leaders had 34” advantage on peleton with just one lap to go. In the last kilometers the leaders managed to increase the gap a little and Michael Cornelisse have won the sprint ahead of Charlie Arimont and Brent Briesen.

 The main pack finished 44 seconds behind.

Full results:

So who’s Mitchell Cornelisse ? Winning GP André Noyelle wasn’t his first international win in junior category. The year before he managed to win other classic in Belgium, Omloop der Vlaamse Gewesten ahead of Stefen Krul (now in Rabo Dev Team) and Nathan van Hooydonck (Bissel). Pretty big names!

 But that wasn’t his only notable result from 2013. In Tour du Pays de Vaud Mitchell was thir in the prologue but his biggest results of 2013 actually came from track. He’s current national champion in Omnium, Points Race and Madison. With track background Cornelisse is both good sprinter and time trialist but also able to survive the hills and will be interesting to see what else can he achive in road racing.

Kuurne-Bruxelles-Kuurne Juniors 2014 Race Report

British junior, James Shaw won the 14th edition of Kuurne Bruxelles Kuurne juniors after solo attack from the fron group just 2km from the finish line. Podium were filled by two riders from Belgium: Lionel Teminaux and Robbie Casier.

Attacks started just after the official start were given. At kilometer 20 we had a group of five riders on the front: Thomas Demolder (Balen BC), Robbe Casier (Tieltse Renners), Thomas Kurtzemann (CMA 93-Big Mat) Byriel Rasmus Iversen (Vejle Campus) and Peter Kjaer Nielsen (Phytonpro.com). 33 seconds behind were two more riders: Kasper Andersen (Giordana Isaac) and Martin Oliveira (CMA 93-Big Mat) with peleton just 10 secons behind those two.

At the top of Edelareberg the break of the day had the gap 1'05" on the peleton. Two chasers were cought. Before Kanaieberg Theo Nicolas (Argenteuil Val de Seine 95) and Charlie Arimont (Young Cycling Team) attacked from the peleton and joined the front group on the climb.

The big show started on Kruisberg, the first cobbled hill of the day where counter attack was made by Kasper Andersen (Giordana Isaac), Julius van de Berg (Viking Waterland), Cyril Bordes (Hopes Pole), Alex Braybrook and the future winner, James Shaw (South East CT).

At the foot of Cote de Trieu break of the day had 20" advantage of Shaw's group and 51" on peleton. On the climg race shaked up and 26 riders were at the front with peleton just 40" behind. Peleton splits again on the Tiegemebrg into four groups. The group of 27 riders had advantage of 42" on peleton before Holstraat climb, penultimate climb of the day.

Nokereberg, the last climb, made no changes in the race situation. The big group of 27 riders had around 40 seconds on peleton. 10 km later the leading group had over a minute advantage and it was almost certain that they will fight for a victory.

On the final loop four riders attacked from the front group: Jesper Schultz (Giordana Isaac), Alan Riou (UK Club), Julius van de Berg (Viking Waterland) and Rasmus Byriel Iversen (Vejle Campus). The Dane Iversen attacked once more and was soloing with just 9km from the finish but he had only 8" on another counter attack including: Jordi Van Dingenen (Balen BC), Andreas Hyldaard Jeppesen (Giordana Isaac), Maxime Blampain (Team Wasquehal) Robbe Casier (Tieltse Renners), James Shaw (South East CT) and Lionel Taminaux (Verandas Willems-CC Chevigny).

Just before the finish (-2km) Jeppesen, Shaw and Taminaux joined Iversen and after that Shaw made his final move and won solo 13" ahead of Teminaux, 19" of Casier.

Conclusion? The Briton was very strong on Sunday, creating gap of more then 10 seconds in last two kilometers and cousing big damage in the leading group. South East CT team were also impressive, having three riders in the main group with Shaw finishing the job. Only Balen BC team had more than three riders in front group but their "kopman" Jordi Van Dingen finished fourth. Impressive ride by Robbe Casier also, being whole day in the break and once they were caught he still managed to stay in front and joined the top riders in the final attack and finished just behind Shaw.

 Here is what the winner says after the race (interview by Paul Burgoine):

  “I wasn’t expecting that!” he started by saying. “I am very glad to be here obviously, it is a great race. You look at the previous results and there are some class athletes who have taken this race.” “I’m really really happy!” “We came out this weekend with a guy called John Barclay and I have a lot of time for him, I really respect him. He’s been bringing me out here for three years and done a fair few races now. John is a big part of my cycling.” “I’d also like to thanks Beacon for providing me with a bike because I would not have been able to go out and buy myself a bike. The guys a Giro for the shoes and also those at Haribo and Trainsharp.” “I’m now going to do all the National Series events.” “I know these races suit me. I like to go hard and really put the pressure on. The group I was in wasn’t really working, they were messing about, and I was doing the majority of the work. I looked into the wind and the roads ahead and took the opportunity. I put my head down and really started drilling it. I could see them chasing and also saw a few giving up. I knew I had one shot and this was it and so there was no holding back!”