49th Du Loir et Cher 2008

The Rapha Condor Recycling.co.uk team are undertaking three big French races over the next weeks. The next leg of their journey after The Circuit of the Ardennes took them to the 49éme Tour Du Loir et Cher 2008.

The Rapha Condor Recycling.co.uk team is Dean Downing, Kristian House, Rob Partridge, Graham Briggs, Simon Holt and Matt Rowe.

Stage one saw the team place Dean Downing in fourth overall and Kristian House leads the mountain competition.

Dean Downing

Stage 2 Mer to Nouan le Fuzellier
The stage from Mer to Nouan le Fuzellier (200km) was flat and with no hills, but small roads signaled trouble.

As expected the race went from the gun due to the small roads and strong winds, after 3km a break of 31 formed at the front, with four riders from the team in it Rapha Condor Recycling.co.uk were quite happy to see it stay away all day. However a combination of a lack of cohesion in a group that size and a couple of teams back in the bunch with no riders in the move saw things all come back together after a hectic first 80km.

The next real action came when the race hit the finishing circuits. Rapha Condor Recycling.co.uk rode well covering most moves and were just about ready to try and set Downing up for the expected bunch sprint when the dreaded words rang out of race radio

"CHUTE! Rapha Condor"

Downing had come down, along with Briggs, with Rowe getting caught up in the carnage that follows a crash we had three riders out of the back with 5km to go and a bunch of 20 riders split of the front due to the crash.

All the boys were on there way quickly, Briggs joining the main bunch the quickest. Rowe then proved what a great talent he is when he towed Downing back through the team convoy on his own with Downing giving a new meaning to phrase "mask master" both of them rejoining the main bunch with a 1 km to go.

John Herity

Kristian and Simon had made the front split and with riders crashing all over the place due to the rain in the closing stages of the race decided to go to the front and lead out the sprint more to stay out of trouble than anything else.

At the finish soigneur Sarah Heal checked over Downing who has minor cuts and bruises to his knee a nice lump on his cheekbone and a rather fetching chainring mark on his arm, we reckon it was a Shimano 53 ring!

With no KOM's today, Kristian was once again on the podium to receive the mountains jersey and was also awarded the Sportsman of the day award due to his help behind the back of the podium, we think, for translating for the organisation who had a Kazach winner who only spoke a little English which Kristian then translated into his pigeon French for them.

Anyway the award was given to him by no less than possibly the most powerful man in Cycling at the moment, Christian Prudhome head of ASO, the organisers of the Tour de France. Whom Kristian said was most friendly, happy to chat to him and personally thanked him for the assistance he gave the organisation.

The team is now back at the hotel, licking our wounds waiting for the results and hoping tomorrows 175 km hillier stage will bring us better luck.

1 IGLINSKIY Valentin ULN KAZ en 4h46'6" 10s
2 JANISZEWSKI Sylwester LEG POL mt 6s
3 GONNET Julien SSP FRA mt 4s
4 REIMER Martin LKT GER mt
5 LAUENER Alain TFC SUI mt
6 DEVAERE Ken DLV BEL mt
7 TEILLET Gwenaël UNA FRA mt
8 IJZENDOORN Eddy LFC NED mt
9 NOEL Cyrille SSP FRA mt
10 KLEIN Philipp TET GER mt
11 WADECKI Adam KCT POL mt
12 MUSTONEN Andréi KCT EST mt
13 WESTRA Lieuwe KST NED mt
14 SANCHEZ Eladio ORB ESP mt
15 VANDOUSSELAERE Sven DLV BEL mt
16 PRONK Jos KST NED mt 3s
17 SCHADLICH Lucas TET GER mt
18 BARLE Florent VCA FRA mt
19 CRAVEN Dan TFC NAM mt
20 REY Fabien ESG FRA mt
21 PEDERSEN Martin GLS DEN mt
22 MOUCHEL Jonathan VCA FRA mt
23 HUET Tony SSP FRA mt
24 JOSEPH Grégory DLV BEL mt
25 KELDERMAN Martin LFC NED mt
26 COPIN Fabien VCA FRA mt
27 MUYS Pieter DLV BEL mt
28 LE YONDRE Tristan SSP FRA mt
29 MARSCHALL Marian MLP GER mt
30 TLEUBAYEV Ruslan ULN KAZ mt
31 HOLT Simon RCR GBR mt
32 DMITRIYEV Valeriy ULN KAZ mt
33 HOUSE Kristian RCR GBR mt
34 ROSEAU Willy UNA FRA mt
35 HEGREBERG Roy GLS NOR mt
36 VAN DER WAL Eelke KST NED mt
37 NIEVE Mikel ORB ESP mt
38 BARYSHNIKOV Mikhail TGE RUS mt
39 HESS Karsten TET GER mt
40 KLIPP Christoph LKT GER mt
41 BRIGGS Graham RCR GBR mt
42 MAZIOU Maël CAC 41 FRA Reg mt
43 HANSEN Martin TOE DEN mt
44 GEFFROY Régis CAC 41 FRA Reg mt
45 SAMOKHVALOV Anton TGE RUS mt 1s
46 IVANOV Wladimir TGE RUS mt
47 CROKET Lars DLV BEL mt
48 GUESDON Maxime SSP FRA mt
49 VANDBORG Brian GLS DEN mt
50 CICHOSZ Marek LEG POL mt
51 VAILLANT Nicolas UNA FRA mt
52 SAMOKHVALOV Dmitry TGE RUS mt
53 GIESECKE Oliver TET GER mt
54 PARTRIDGE Robert RCR GBR mt
55 NEDERLOF Tim LFC NED mt
56 BELKA Mathias LKT GER mt
57 FRANZL Michael ENA GER mt
58 LUTTUSCHKA Steven LKT GER mt
59 STEVENSON Christofer GLS SWE mt
60 NIELSEN Kristoffer GLS DEN mt
61 BAK Glenn GLS DEN mt
62 VENDRIG Bart LFC NED mt
63 LENFERINK Jasper KST NED 4h46'21 à 15"
64 NIEMINEN Mika VCA FIN 4h46'31 à 25"
65 JUUL JENSEN Christopher GLD DEN 4h46'35 à 29"
66 DASSLER Ingmar LKT GER 4h46'35 à 29"
67 BARTH Marcel TET GER 4h46'35 à 29"
68 UTAR Urmo KCT EST 4h46'35 à 29"
69 NIELSEN Jocob GLD DEN 4h46'35 à 29"
70 SESMA Daniel ORB ESP 4h46'35 à 29"
71 ULRICH Lars TOE DEN 4h46'35 à 29"
72 MATZKA Ralf ENA GER 4h46'35 à 29"
73 KUDASHEV Denis ESG RUS 4h46'35 à 29"
74 DE NEEF Steven DLV BEL 4h46'35 à 29"
75 KODRUP Jacob GLD DEN 4h46'35 à 29"
76 MARIE Yannick ESG FRA 4h46'35 à 29"
77 BIGAUD Franck CGO FRA Reg 4h46'35 à 29"
78 CHRISTIANSEN Morten GLD DEN 4h46'35 à 29"
79 MATYSIAK Bartlomiej LEG POL 4h46'35 à 29"
80 DAUGA Vincent ESG FRA 4h46'35 à 29"
81 VAN DE MEENT Eric KST NED 4h46'35 à 29"
82 JORGENSEN Christian Moberg TOE DEN 4h46'35 à 29"
83 JORGENSEN Linde Kasper TOE DEN 4h46'35 à 29"
84 BONNET Samuel CAC 41 FRA Reg 4h46'35 à 29"
85 DUPONT David CGO FRA Reg 4h46'35 à 29"
86 BALDO Nicolas SSP FRA 4h46'35 à 29"
87 COLOMBO Daniele TFC ITA 4h46'35 à 29"
88 MODZELEWSKI Lukasz LEG POL 4h46'35 à 29"
89 MARYCZ Jaroslaw TFC POL 4h46'35 à 29 2s
90 SZNITKO Adam LEG POL 4h46'35 à 29"
91 MARTIKAINEN Tommi KCT FIN 4h46'35 à 29"
92 VAN VEEN Jan LFC NED 4h46'35 à 29"
93 HANS Sébastian ENA GER 4h46'35 à 29"
94 FOUCHER Sébastien GCH FRA Reg 4h46'35 à 29"
95 OVEKHKIN Artem TGE RUS 4h46'35 à 29"
96 RAIMBEKOV Bolat ULN KAZ 4h46'35 à 29"
97 MATHEOU Romain UNA FRA 4h46'35 à 29"
98 GAULT Benjamin CGO FRA Reg 4h46'35 à 29"
99 DAMROW Sascha ENA GER 4h46'35 à 29"
100 MOHS Erik ENA GER 4h46'46 à 40"
101 DOWNING Dean RCR GBR 4h46'46 à 40"
102 BERLING Michaël GLD DEN 4h46'50 à 44"
103 ROWE Matthew RCR GBR 4h46'50 à 44"
104 LOLLESGAARD Martin TOE DEN mt
105 SCHEUNEMAN Niels KST NED 4h47'2 à 56"
106 DROUET Cédric GCH FRA Reg 4h47'13 1'7
107 BARRE Cédric GCH FRA Reg 4h47'31 1'25
108 ROMERO Igor ORB ESP 4h47'47 1'41
109 ACKERMANN Adrian MLP GER 4h47'47 1'41
110 CHARUCKI Pawel LEG POL 4h47'47 1'41
111 LADOSZ Michal CAC 41 POL Reg 4h48'19 2'13
112 LAMOISSON Morgan CAC 41 FRA Reg 4h48'19 2'13
113 FOUCHER Stéphane GCH FRA Reg 4h48'19 2'13
114 GIRAUD Benjamin VCA FRA 4h50'29 4'23
115 LEBEDEV Andri KCT EST 4h50'29 4'23
116 OLANO Aitor ORB ESP 4h50'45 4'39
117 MINGUEZ Miguel ORB ESP 4h50'45 4'39
118 KREUTZFELDT Daniel TOE DEN 4h51'52 5'46
119 MURILLO Steeve CAC 41 FRA Reg 4h52'0 5'54
120 SINNER Christophe GCH FRA Reg 4h53'25 7'19
121 OBLANDER Jonathan MLP GER 4h55'39 9'33
122 FROHN Florian TET GER 4h55'44 9'38
123 PROUS Pritt KCT EST 5h19'31 33'25
124 BRUNO Francesco MLP GER 5h19'31 33'25
125 LANCON François UNA FRA 5h19'31 33'25
126 RIEDLE Michael ENA GER 5h19'31 33'25
127 KNORR Christian GLD DEN 5h19'31 33'25
128 EBERT Ivo MLP GER 5h19'31 33'25
129 ARGUELYES Arkimedes TGE RUS 5h19'31 33'25
130 RAHN Fabian MLP GER 5h19'31 33'25
131 RENEV Sergey ULN KAZ 5h19'31 33'25

General Classification
1 PRONK Jos KST en 8h5'5"
2 JOSEPH Grégory DLV à 7"
3 JANISZEWSKI Sylwester LEG à 7"
4 SAMOKHVALOV Anton TGE à 11"
5 NOEL Cyrille SSP à 13"
6 VANDOUSSELAERE Sven DLV à 13"
7 WESTRA Lieuwe KST à 13"
8 REY Fabien ESG à 13"
9 DEVAERE Ken DLV à 13"
10 SCHADLICH Lucas TET à 13"
11 LAUENER Alain TFC à 13"
12 BARLE Florent VCA à 13"
13 MOUCHEL Jonathan VCA à 13"
14 CRAVEN Dan TFC à 13"
15 HOUSE Kristian RCR à 13"
16 KELDERMAN Martin LFC à 13"
17 IVANOV Wladimir TGE à 13"
18 NIEVE Mikel ORB à 13"
19 GEFFROY Régis CAC 41 à 13"
20 HOLT Simon RCR à 13"
21 BRIGGS Graham RCR à 13"
22 HEGREBERG Roy GLS à 13"
23 VANDBORG Brian GLS à 13"
24 DMITRIYEV Valeriy ULN à 13"
25 LE YONDRE Tristan SSP à 13"
26 VAN DER WAL Eelke KST à 13"
27 CICHOSZ Marek LEG à 13"
28 BARYSHNIKOV Mikhail TGE à 13"
29 SAMOKHVALOV Dmitry TGE à 13"
30 KLIPP Christoph LKT à 13"
31 PARTRIDGE Robert RCR à 13"
32 STEVENSON Christofer GLS à 13"
33 FRANZL Michael ENA à 13"
34 LOLLESGAARD Martin TOE à 13"
35 REIMER Martin LKT à 25"
36 TEILLET Gwenaël UNA à 25"
37 GUESDON Maxime SSP à 25"
38 ROSEAU Willy UNA à 25"
39 HANSEN Martin TOE à 25"
40 CROKET Lars DLV à 25"
41 GIESECKE Oliver TET à 25"
42 NIELSEN Kristoffer GLS à 25"
43 SANCHEZ Eladio ORB à 25"
44 VENDRIG Bart LFC à 25"
45 COPIN Fabien VCA à 25"
46 MUSTONEN Andréi KCT à 31"
47 HUET Tony SSP à 31"
48 TLEUBAYEV Ruslan ULN à 31"
49 VAILLANT Nicolas UNA à 31"
50 NEDERLOF Tim LFC à 37"
51 NIEMINEN Mika VCA à 38"
52 MATYSIAK Bartlomiej LEG à 38"
53 MARYCZ Jaroslaw TFC à 40"
54 BAK Glenn GLS à 41"
55 ULRICH Lars TOE à 42"
56 BARTH Marcel TET à 42"
57 SESMA Daniel ORB à 42"
58 KUDASHEV Denis ESG à 42"
59 JORGENSEN Christian Mo TOE à 42"
60 MARIE Yannick ESG à 42"
61 SZNITKO Adam LEG à 42"
62 CHRISTIANSEN Morten GLD à 42"
63 MATHEOU Romain UNA à 42"
64 DE NEEF Steven DLV à 42"
65 NIELSEN Jocob GLD à 42"
66 JUUL JENSEN Christophe GLD à 42"
67 HANS Sébastian ENA à 42"
68 BONNET Samuel CAC 41 à 49"
69 BALDO Nicolas SSP à 49"
70 KLEIN Philipp TET à 51"
71 HESS Karsten TET à 51"
72 DAUGA Vincent ESG à 52"
73 DOWNING Dean RCR à 53"
74 VAN DE MEENT Eric KST à 54"
75 JORGENSEN Linde Kaspe TOE à 54"
76 OVEKHKIN Artem TGE à 54"
77 MARTIKAINEN Tommi KCT à 1'0"
78 GAULT Benjamin CGO à 1'0"
79 UTAR Urmo KCT à 1'6"
80 DASSLER Ingmar LKT à 1'8"
81 SCHEUNEMAN Niels KST à 1'9"
82 BERLING Michaël GLD à 1'9"
83 KODRUP Jacob GLD à 1'10"
84 VAN VEEN Jan LFC à 1'10"
85 MARSCHALL Marian MLP à 1'14"
86 BELKA Mathias LKT à 1'14"
87 DROUET Cédric GCH à 1'20"
88 MATZKA Ralf ENA à 1'20"
89 FOUCHER Sébastien GCH à 1'20"
90 MODZELEWSKI Lukasz LEG à 1'20"
91 MOHS Erik ENA à 1'21"
92 MAZIOU Maël CAC 41 à 1'27"
93 LENFERINK Jasper KST à 1'27"
94 COLOMBO Daniele TFC à 1'43"
95 ROWE Mettheuw RCR à 1'58"
96 GONNET Julien SSP à 2'8"
97 PEDERSEN Martin GLS à 2'12"
98 CHARUCKI Pawel LEG à 2'12"
99 ROMERO Igor ORB à 2'12"
100 RAIMBEKOV Bolat ULN à 2'21"
101 LADOSZ Michal CAC 41 à 2'38"
102 ACKERMANN Adrian MLP à 2'38"
103 BIGAUD Franck CGO à 4'8"
104 LEBEDEV Andri KCT à 4'36"
105 WADECKI Adam KCT à 4'48"
106 GIRAUD Benjamin VCA à 4'48"
107 MINGUEZ Miguel ORB à 4'52"
108 OLANO Aitor ORB à 5'4"
109 IJZENDOORN Eddy LFC à 5'8"
110 MURILLO Steeve CAC 41 à 6'19"
111 OBLANDER Jonathan MLP à 9'58"
112 FROHN Florian TET à 10'9"
113 IGLINSKIY Valentin ULN à 14'15"
114 BARRE Cédric GCH à 16'13"
115 MUYS Pieter DLV à 17'26"
116 LUTTUSCHKA Steven LKT à 21'1"
117 DUPONT David CGO à 21'30"
118 DAMROW Sascha ENA à 21'30"
119 SINNER Christophe GCH à 22'57"
120 LAMOISSON Morgan CAC 41 à 23'14"
121 FOUCHER Stéphane GCH à 23'14"
122 KREUTZFELDT Daniel TOE à 26'47"
123 PROUS Pritt KCT à 33'56"
124 ARGUELYES Arkimedes TGE à 47'41"
125 KNORR Christian GLD à 49'39"
126 LANCON François UNA à 51'14"
127 RAHN Fabian MLP à 54'26"
128 RIEDLE Michael ENA à 54'26"
129 EBERT Ivo MLP à 54'26"
130 BRUNO Francesco MLP à 54'26"
131 RENEV Sergey ULN à 54'26"

Three big French races
Circuit of the Ardennes